The Enemy Within
by Under the Setting Sun
Summary: Deeks has been gone for five months, after being recalled to work on a joined task force, and when he returns he has to help the team stop a terrorist attack. While they are successful in stopping, Deeks is still battling the after affects of his assignment. While the enemy you can see is dangerous, but the it's the enemy that attacks you from within that is the deadliest.
1. Chapter 1

The four of us are approaching the back part of the convention center. From the looks of the door that were approaching that our madman was already waiting. On door that was shut we could see his logo, while the other door was propped open, as if inviting us in.

"Hetty we're going in." Callen said.

"No you're not." I say.

"Deeks this isn't the time for heroics." Sam said.

"You're right, so unless any of you have had your booster shots updated then I suggest securing the rest of the building." I say.

"We're in this mess because we didn't trust Deeks in the first place." Kensi said.

" _Come back in one piece, Mr. Deeks._ " Hetty said over the ear piece.

"The device isn't a bomb." I say. "They couldn't get the heat threshold high enough for the virus to survive the blast. So they decided to use a timer and disperse it into the air."

" _Well they couldn't have picked a better spot._ " Eric said over the ear piece.

" _Times a wasting?_ " Nell said.

Sam and Callen peeled off and went to scan the rest of the building. Kensi remained to say bye, but couldn't think of anything. I lean in and give her a kiss.

"Don't worry Fern. I'll be back." I said, and then entered the door.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Five hours ago, Ops-

"Here's the play." Eric said.

Nell brought up the blue print of the convention center, and Eric continued.

"The most likely place for them to deploy the device for maximum impact." Eric said pointing to the ventilation system main port. "Hook it up to any of those and the building is done for."

I step away from the group, feeling a bit woozy. I reach for the syringe in my pocket and inject myself, and I can feel the effects kick in. They aren't as strong as they were a few days ago, but it'll do.

"Mr. Deeks." Hetty said.

I look up to see what Hetty wanted. "A word in my office." She said.

I pocket the syringe, and follow Hetty to her office.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Five hours later, the Convention center-

"What do you have Deeks?" Callen said sweeping the east wing of the building.

" _I haven't gotten to the room with the ventilation system, although this guy is pretty creepy._ " I say.

" _How creepy_?" Kensi asks, as she was sweeping the lobby.

" _Oh you know, the usual mantra and declaration of war against the unworthy, that kind of stuff._ " I say.

" _They never think of anything original can they?_ " Kensi asks.

" _Nope._ " Sam said.

"Cut the chatter, how are we looking Deeks?" Callen cut in.

" _I'm right outside the door._ " Deeks said, but there was static on the line " _Just what I needed, wish me luck._ "

" _Godspeed, Mr. Deeks._ " Hetty said, over the line.

" _Thanks Hetty, Alright I'm going-_ " Deeks never finished his sentence because of the jammer.

" _Eric! Nell! See if you can find a possible place to hide a jammer._ " Sam said.

" _On it!_ " Eric said.

There was silence on the line for a time before either Eric or Nell came back on the line, " _Callen we found the spot, but there's a problem._ " Nell said

" _Aren't there always._ " Kensi asked.

" _Not like this._ " Eric said.

"How bad?" Callen asked.

" _They posted a mini-gun near the jammer._ " Nell said.

"Oh how colorful." Callen mutter.

" _They sure know how to make your job harder._ " Sam said.

" _That's putting it mildly, Mr. Hanna._ " Hetty said joining the group.

"I'm guessing that the gun is on a separate system?" Callen asked.

" _That goes without saying, Callen._ " Eric said.

" _Can't blame a guy for asking._ " Sam said.

Down in the hallway leading to the ventilation system, Deeks was having fun dodging bullets, and other traps that the psycho had left behind. Deeks was about to turn a corner when he had a flashback. He turned around and pulled the trigger. The person he shot was the lunatic that start everything.

"You can't… win. My will… has already… been done." the man said, and the coughed up blood.

"I wouldn't be so certain. You know that woman you killed when I escaped she gave me a syringe, to slow the spread of the virus, and a disarm code for your device." I say.

The man tried to reaching for shirt as if to stop me from going to his device, but he started to cough up more blood. And before I knew it, he had passed from this world. I attempt to remember the man's name. I think it was Emerson, or at least I thought it was. Out of respect, I close the man's eyes, and keep moving. I enter the room with the device, and it takes me a few minutes to find the panel that will allow me to enter the disarm code. I punch in the code, and I wait the thirty seconds as instructed, and then punch in the second line of code. After I finished entering the second line of code the device shut down. I pull the device off the wall, and take it with me.

I make it back to the door leading out of the in the main hall when I collapse. Where I collapse is in full view of a camera. A few hallways over from me, Hetty was contacting Callen.

" _Mr. Callen, Mr. Deeks has made it back to the main hall with some sort device with him. Whatever is coursing through his body is winning out, so make haste._ " Hetty said.

"On it Hetty." Callen said.

Callen, Sam, and Kensi all run back to the door where they left me when they went to go find the jammer. They weren't able to get past the mini-gun. So they called in an engineer to interfere with the guns systems, which bought the team a few minutes to work on the gun. When they got to me Kensi was on edge, seeing me unconscious, while Sam just picked me up and threw me over his shoulder and ran for the door with Kensi behind him.

" _The ambulance is five minutes out, Mr. Hanna._ " Hetty said.

"Roger." Sam said, grunting under my weight.

Callen secured the device and followed after the other. When Callen exited the convention center, it was to Sam kneeling on the ground performing C.P.R. on me. Kensi was barely holding in together, behind us was the emergency service vehicles pulled in, and a person from bomb squad arrived to secure the device. The paramedics jumped out as soon as the ambulance come to a stop, and relieved Sam on trying resuscitating me. It was another five minutes of C.P.R. before any of the paramedics spoke. "I got a pulse! Let's get him loaded up, and to the hospital!"

"Where are you taking him?" Sam asked.

"Cedars-Sinai Medical Center." The lead paramedic answered.

"You got that Hetty?" Sam asked.

" _Yes, Mr. Hanna. I'll send the package._ " Hetty said.

"We're heading over there now." Sam said.

" _The hospital can wait Agent Hanna. I want the three of you to return to Ops_." Granger said. " _I want to know why our liaison officer was at the center of this case._ "

"And were supposed to leave Deeks there by himself?" Callen asked.

" _Detective Deeks will be in surgery for a couple of hours, and my assistant will be there waiting for any news from the medical staff. I want the three of you back here now._ " Granger ordered.

"On it, Director." Sam said. "We were going to have to pay the piper sooner, or later. Might as well do it now."

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Five hours ago: Ops-

"Why exactly am I letting you back into the field, instead of letting Mr. Hanna, Mr. Callen, or Miss Blye secure the device?" Hetty asked.

"To shut down the device you basically have to contract the virus. The rest of the team will contract the virus, and likely die before making it to the hospital." I say.

"How wonderful." Hetty says.

"I didn't ask for this duty Hetty, but now that I have to do, I'm going to finish." I say.

"See you on the other side, Mr. Deeks." Hetty

"Save me a drink when I come back." I said.

"It'll be waiting." Hetty said.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Five hours later: Ops-

Callen, Sam, and Kensi entered ops to see both Granger, Hetty, and to agents surprise Director Vance on the big screen.

" _Agent Callen, I was just informed that Detective Deeks was having a rough week before he left. Care to explain._ " Director Vance said.

"More like a few months." Sam said. "And in our defense, Deeks was recalled a couple of times by Lieutenant Bates before leaving work on a task force with the C.I.A., the F.B.I., and the D.E.A. Somehow N.C.I.S. didn't get an invite to the party."

Director Vance look at Hetty and Granger.

"I was in Washington with you, sir." Granger said, quickly.

"I got in contact with the director of the F.B.I., seeing as how they were running the task force, and he said that our presence wasn't necessary." Hetty said.

" _Oh, really?_ " Director Vance said.

"I argued, but seeing as how I'm just an operations manager, Director Weylan said his decision was final." Hetty said.

" _I'll be in touch, after I have a chat with Director Weylan._ " Director Vance said, and then look off screen to somebody to end the call.

"That ought to be an interesting conversation." Sam said, shortly.

"Not as interesting as you think. Why was Deeks months leading up to his recall rough?" Granger asked.

"He was distracted, a few bad case back in L.A.P.D., made a few bad calls and missteps." Callen said.

"And you didn't think to get him help?" Granger asked. "Or are you the type to just beat on him until he gets it right?"

"No, I didn't get him any help." Callen said shamefully.

"By the time he was recalled, I was going to put him on administrative leave, with pay, to help Mr. Deeks recover." Hetty said, seeing as how I was under her care. Granger just looked at Hetty, giving her the third degree with a stare, and she looked away. At this time a phone starting ringing, and it was coming from Granger's coat pocket. "Granger," he said, answering the call.

There was silence, with Granger giving an uhuh every few second. "That was my assistant. They said that Deeks is still in surgery, and given the nature of the illness, it might be a few more hours before they finish. Blye head to the hospital to relieve my assistant, while you two remain here to fill out after action reports. Someone will be along to relieve you later, Blye." Granger said, after ending the call.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Parts of the story are going to be told through flashbacks. If I say something is in the present it will be happening while Deeks is in the hospital, or while the team is still trying closing the case. I'll try to avoid the back and forth disaster that happened in the last chapter._

Sam and Callen had just sat down to fill out paperwork when Hetty and Granger were walking by the bull pen arguing about the treatment of Deeks.

"It seems that you're slipping if Deeks was in over his head." Granger said.

"Mr. Deeks is a talented man, and capable of hiding his problems from everybody, including me." Hetty said. "I make no excuses for not picking up on Mr. Deeks problems sooner."

"Good because no matter what you say, you're not weaseling your way out if this one." Granger said.

"I missed Mr. Deeks problems because I was coordinating with you in whatever was going on in Washington. I was up to my nickers in assisting you." Hetty accused Granger.

Granger conceded her point because the reason he was in Washington was because of a meeting of the heads of agencies and Hetty was forwarding information, or she was in conference calls for hours on end. So no matter how he cut it, Granger was just at fault for this incident as Hetty was. That was all the partners heard of the conversation because Hetty and Granger didn't stop walking.

"As if they can blame us for things that Deeks does wrong." Callen said.

"G, really?" Sam asks.

"Deeks is competent member of the team." Callen said.

"Who was in desperate need of help. I heard some of the problems Deeks had, it was pretty bad." Sam said.

"Deeks couldn't even concentrate when you two were sparring in the gym." Callen shot back.

"G, Deeks was in a hostage situation where half the people were killed, and he barely got out without taking a bullet himself. And then he was called in to negotiate a hostage release, which he has no qualification to be involved in, and the person holding the hostage had no intention of being talked down. The hostage was a kid, G." Sam said in his defense.

"If it was too stressful, then he should have seen a shrink, or he should have stayed home." Callen said.

"You're impossible." Sam said. "Not everyone thinks and operates like you, G."

"If everyone operated like me, none of this would have happened." Callen said.

"Not true, he's still a detective. So no matter how you cut it, we couldn't stop him from being recalled." Sam said.

"How come Deeks hasn't made the career change. Its better here, and the people here have more respect him than the L.A.P.D. does." Callen said.

" _Some_ of the people here have more respect for him better than L.A.P.D." Sam corrected.

Callen how no rebuttal for Sam's comment, so he went back to doing paperwork.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center-

A package arrived at the hospital while Deeks was still in surgery. The package was cleared by security, and was taken into the operating room. A nurse open the package and saw the vial and syringe. There was a note from the C.D.C that stated the substance was experimental antivirus.

"Doctor, I have a vial with an untested substance in it," says the nurse.

"Do we know who sent it?" The doctor asks.

"It's from the C.D.C." the nurse says.

"What's in the vial?" the doctor asked.

"It's an experimental antivirus for the patient." The nurse said.

"Are you sure?" asked another doctor.

"Do we have a choice? Everything we're trying isn't even stopping the spread of the virus." The first doctor said.

"The note continues, there's a fifty percent chance the patient might fall into a coma." The nurse continued.

"At least that's something we can work around." The first doctor said.

The nurse who read the note prepped a syringe, and drew ten ccs of the liquid, and then hand the syringe to the doctor. The doctor injected the substance into me, and as expected the virus stopped spreading and went into remission, but as expressed in the note I entered a coma.

"Get him prepped to be moved to a room, and I want hourly checks on the patient for any changes in his condition." The doctor said.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Kensi had already arrived at the hospital, and relieved Granger's assistant. The nurse was walking into the waiting room to give an update. She was expecting to see Granger's assistant, but Kensi step forward in the woman's place.

"I'm Martin Deeks' partner. We work together." Kensi says.

"Okay. I was expecting that other woman, but you will suffice. We were able to keep Mr. Deeks stable until we received a package from the C.D.C." the nurse said.

"That is something my boss called in, and something Deeks was involved in, also." Kensi says.

"How did Mr. Deeks end up with the virus in his system? If you don't mind my asking?" the nurse asked.

"He was on assignment that didn't go as planned." Kensi said.

"That's it? Nothing else." The nurse said.

"The assignment was a matter of national security. I can't go into further detail." Kensi said.

"Fair enough. Mr. Deeks is in a coma, compliments of the antivirus. I will come and get you when we get him situated in a room." The nurse said, and then took her leave. Kensi sat back down in the chair, and waited for the staff to return to take her to my room.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

P.C.H.-

Sam and Callen had received a lead that one of the people who were connected to the group that abducted me was still in the area. Eric and Nell's lead sent them to the far end of P.C.H., on the edge of the T.M.Z. As Sam was pulling into a parking lot near the last known whereabouts of their suspect, Eric came on the line.

" _Your suspects are going to be in the warehouse on the far end._ " Eric said.

"Suspects. I thought you said there was only just one." Sam said.

" _We found surveillance footage, and we saw more than one person. The footage we saw is actually a few days old, so it's possible there could be more people._ " Nell said.

"Awesome." Callen said.

"Let's get this over with." Sam said.

" _Don't take that warehouse, that's an order, Agent Hanna._ " Granger said.

"Sir." Callen said.

" _I have just received intel that the warehouse has sensitive information. Information that could help understand what happened to Detective Deeks, and the other victims._ " Granger said.

"Other victims? How many were abducted?" Sam asked.

" _Unknown._ " Hetty said.

"How soon until our back up arrives?" Callen asked.

As soon as Callen finished asking the question, two cars had pulled up, and eight people stepped out of the vehicles.

" _Now._ " Granger said.

"And you are?" Sam asked.

"We're with the N.S.A., my name is Agent Jones and this is my team. We've been called in to assist in taking down this location." The lead agent said.

"I'm Agent Callen, and this is my partner Agent Hanna." Callen said.

Callen and Sam shook hands with Agent Jones, and then watched as the new arrivals geared up to raid the facility. Two of the eight members were working on two laptops, attempting to hack security, and bring down the camera system. It was about five minutes before Jones' engineers gave the green light to raid the warehouse.

"You mind if I send two with you?" Jones asked.

"No problem, as long as they don't slow us down." Callen said.

Jones nodded his approval, and then point at a man and a woman. They fell in line behind Sam, and the two groups went to breach the doors. Callen waited for the signal, and when Sam nodded, Callen opened the door and the four of them entered.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center-

Kensi was in the waiting room for over an hour before the nurse returned. She escorts Kensi to my room on the third floor. Kensi was in her chair for ten minutes before her replacement arrived. It was Nell.

"It must be nice to get every once in a while." Kensi says to Nell.

"Pretty much. I'm only here to relieve you until Sam gets away from the raid that him, Callen and the N.S.A. are currently on." Nell said.

"Back to Ops?" Kensi asks.

"Yep." Nell said.

Kensi stands up, gives Nell a hug, and then leaves. Nell brought a tablet along in case she needed to decode information while she was here.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

The warehouse near P.C.H.-

Sam and Callen were sifting through the information that they could understand, while passing on any that they couldn't.

"After you've compiled the data, our tech team would like a copy of everything for our own analysis." Sam said to the N.S.A. tech engineer.

"You got it." The woman said.

Sam went to stand next to Callen when they heard their next set of orders. " _Mr. Hanna, when you get the data, drop Mr. Callen of at Ops, and then go relieve Miss Jones at the hospital._ " Hetty said.

"Yes, Hetty." Sam said.

"Well, it will soon be my turn." Callen said.

"The man did save your life, G, and however many other lives because of his abduction. So the least you could do is show a little respect." Sam said, staring off into the distance.

"How did he get on the team anyways?" Callen asked.

"Hetty saw something in him that the rest of us couldn't see." Sam said. "Didn't he save you from being shot by that guy, and it was only his second case he had worked with us? Something about a superman, double back flip that lets you dodge bullets?"

Callen fell silent. There was nothing that he could say to refute Sam's position.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Eight months ago, Santa Monica Pier-

The team was in the middle of shaking down a wealthy Russian business man, and the meet for the final deal was on the Santa Monica Pier. Sam and Callen were making the met, while Kensi, myself, and a small contingent of L.A.P.D. officers lie in wait for the signal. I was ready to move because I was getting kind of antsy, when this gorgeous woman came and sat at my table. _Okay, I'm not sure what this is about, but I'll let it play through._ I think. The woman starts talking, and carrying on a conversation, which I have no interest in at all.

"Hi, I'm sorry, what's your name?" I ask.

"Vivian Prior." The woman said.

"Are you looking for someone?" I ask.

"Yes, I'm looking for you." Vivian said.

"Umm, okay. What makes you say that?" I ask.

"I was told to come to Santa Monica Pier and meet a man that looked exactly like you. Are you here with friends?" Vivian asked.

"Yeah, I will be meeting them any moment." I say, hoping that she would get the hint and scram.

"Mind if I wait with you until they show?" she asks.

" _Get rid of her, Mr. Deeks._ " Hetty said.

"Yes, I do. I will be leaving as soon as my friends arrive, so it was…" Deeks said.

"I don't mind. I have friends that I'm waiting for also. So what exactly do you like to do?" Vivian asked.

" _Get out of here Deeks. The people we are meeting have arrived, and they are staring in you direction._ " Sam said.

"Excuse me. I have to go." I say, and get up to leave.

"Hey, wait up." Vivian said, getting up to follow out of the main cafe area.

 _Are you serious woman!_ I think.

I just walk right off the dock, and hope I didn't screw up the meeting for the rest of the team. What I didn't see is Vivian walk up behind me with a pen, but this pen had a hypodermic needle on it. I felt a prick on my arm.

"Ahh!" I exclaim. I turn to see who, or what had pricked my arm, but the person, or thing, was long gone. They had faded into the crowd.

" _What's the problem Mr. Deeks?_ " Hetty asked.

"I felt something prick my arm, but whoever did it is long gone." I say.

" _Get back in there, Detective Deeks. The meeting is about to end._ " Granger said.

"On it." I say, as I make my way slowly back to the meeting without drawing attention.

I don't even get ten feet from where I was standing when Granger told me to return, when I hear gun fire. I pulled my sidearm, and ran the rest of the way there. As I was drawing near to the meeting took place, I saw two men in suits heading my way.

"L.A.P.D., freeze!" I shout.

I see one of the men raise their hand in an attempt to point their gun at me, but I fired two rounds into the man before he could fire on me. His partner decided to comply with my request.

"On your knees, and put your hands behind your head." I say. "Eric, I need you to call the coroner, tell them they're going to have company tonight."

" _That wasn't creepy._ " Eric said.

"Just saying." I say.

The man got to his knees, and put his hand behind his head. I walked over to him and, while keeping my gun on him, I pull a pair of handcuffs out of my belt pouch. I holstered my gun, and fastened the handcuffs to the man's wrist, starting with his right wrist first.

"What happened Deeks?" Sam asked, as I finish cuffing the man.

"If you're asking about the woman, I have no idea who she is, or what she wanted. I've never seen her before." I say.

"You need to be careful next time." Kensi said.

"I'm sorry, should I repeat myself. I've never met Vivian before, nor have ever I seen her in my life before." I say, glaring at Kensi.

"She seemed to know who you were. Although I have to admit that was kind of creepy how she came onto you like that." Callen said. "Kensi isn't wrong for telling you to be careful."

I watch Kensi nod at Callen, and I glare daggers at her. Kensi just shrugged her shoulders, but Sam intervened. "If Deeks said he's never seen the woman before, that's good enough for me. What Vivian did could have happened to any of us."

"Excuse me." Kensi said.

"Way things are now a days, a woman could hit on you too, Kensi." Sam said, point blank.

It was my turn to laugh at Kensi misfortune, plus I remember that time when we were at the escort service a few years back, but I'm still pissed about Kensi not taking my side. We get the suspect to his feet, and walk him over to the SRX. The coroner's van showed up to clear the scene, and accept custody of the dead body. After the scene was cleared, we head back to the boat she and drop the suspect off, and then head back to Ops to return our outfits.

"What happened Mr. Deeks?" Hetty asked, as her and Granger joined us.

"I have no idea, and I have never seen, heard of, or have I interacted with a Vivian Prior in my life before." I said.

"Do you think that you were set up?" Granger asked me.

"Possibly, but I'm not exactly sure whose attention I've attracted to send a woman like her." I say.

"Let's see your arm." Hetty said.

I pulled the sleeve up on my left arm, and we all can see a spot on my upper arm, that's still red, where a needle had punctured the skin.

"Go get that checked, just to be safe." Hetty said.

"Yes, Hetty." I said, and then went to get my arm looked at.

"The rest of you, to your desk." Hetty said.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Present day, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center-

Sam was stepping off the elevator, and making his way to my room when he got a phone call from Ops. "What do you have Eric?"

" _When you see Nell, tell we need her back here as soon as possible._ " Eric said.

"Alright." Sam said.

Nell saw Sam before he saw her, so she shut the tablet down, stood up from the chair, and then made her way to the elevator.

"Eric said that your presence is needed back at Ops as soon as possible." Sam said.

"Heading back now." Nell said, around a yawn.

Sam smiled, and then went to take a seat.


	3. Chapter 3

While Sam was in the hospital watching over me, Callen and Kensi are at the boat shed interrogating a couple of suspects. In the main room of the boat shed Granger and Hetty are conversing about the terrorist got their hands on the virus. They did get too far because the Eric and Nell came on the line.

"Yes Miss Jones, Mr. Beale." Hetty said.

" _We found out how they got a hold of the virus, but in reality it's actually a bioweapon._ " Nell said.

"Let me get this straight, Deeks was walking around with a live biological agent in his body, but didn't pass it onto to anybody else." Granger said.

"And when was it classified as a bioweapon?" Hetty asked.

" _We just received a missive from the C.D.C., or more appropriately came across government warning, that some materials were stolen from a pharmaceutical company that were used to in an experimental cure for A.I.D.S.; somewhere along the way, the scientist created a bioweapon on accident. The materials were slated to be incinerated, but a small amount of the bioweapon was stolen and two of the scientist were abducted to continue production of the weapon._ " Nell said.

"Sounds reminiscent of that ordeal Callen had a few years ago." Granger said.

"That it does." Hetty said.

"Why are we just hearing about this now?" Callen asked as he enter the room. Kensi was entering just as Callen finished asking the question.

" _The government wanted to keep it quiet._ " Nell said. " _It says here that the C.D.C. only informed the necessary people about the theft._ "

"How did Deeks contract the virus anyways?" Kensi asked.

"It's a bioweapon, Kens." Callen said.

Kensi went white as a sheet. " _We're not exactly sure how Deeks contracted it. It might have been when he was abducted, or his system might have been compromised with a weakened version of the agent. We don't know."_ Eric said.

It was at this time the door to the boat shed opened. Hetty, Granger, Callen and Kensi looked behind them to see a group of suited men and women. Eric and Nell decided to end the call, rather than listen to the conversation.

"We're with the D.O.D., and we've been dispatched to secure your suspects and escort them to D.C.," a woman said, showing her badge.

"Ordona Lynch. And who dispatched you." Hetty asked.

"We were dispatched by the Attorney General, himself." Ordona said.

Granger nodded to Callen and Kensi, and they went to get the suspects. "Why weren't we inform of the creation of the bioweapon?" Hetty asked.

"It was on a need to know basis." Ordona began.

"One of my men is in the hospital, fighting off that bioweapon. So I think we have a need to know." Granger cut Ordona off.

"I'll pass it along." Ordona said.

Callen and Kensi returned with the suspects, and signed them over to Ordona. "How did Deeks keep the bioweapon from spreading so quickly?" Kensi asked, after Ordona and her team left.

"He had that syringe." Callen said. "Whatever was in that instrument, must have contained something to keep it from spreading.

"Do we know where that syringe is at?" Granger asked.

"It could possibly still be in Deeks clothes." Kensi said.

"Calling Sam, now." Callen stated, and then walked away to make the phone call.

"Do you think whatever was in the syringe could be used to make an antibody to help Deeks recover?" Granger asked.

"What other choice do we have?" Hetty asked.

"True enough." Granger said.

"What should I do?" Kensi asks.

"Back to Ops, and finish filling out after action reports." Hetty told Kensi.

"Ma'am." Kensi.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center-

Sam's phone starting ringing. Sam looked at the id and saw that it was Callen. "What's up G?" Sam asked.

" _Go find Deeks' personal affects, and see if the syringe is still in them._ " Callen said.

"The contents of the syringe might be able to be used to fight the virus that is ravaging Deeks system?" Sam asked.

" _Sam, Deeks is currently fighting off a bioweapon._ " Callen said.

"What?" Sam asked.

Before Callen could respond, a team of doctors entered the ward and made their way towards Sam. "G, I'm going to have to call you back." Sam said, hanging up then phone. "Who are you, and who do you work for?" Sam asked the doctors.

"Where with the C.D.C., and we were dispatched to retrieve this patient, and take him to our office in Los Angeles." One of the nurses said.

"Is there a chance he could be life-flighted to out of stated?" Sam asked.

"We won't make that call. That will come for the top." the nurse said.

"I'll grab his personal affects, and meet you there." Sam said.

"Okay." The nurse said.

Sam went to grab my clothes, and then made his way down to his challenger. After Sam had left the parking lot, he called Hetty. " _What's news, Mr. Hanna_?" she asked.

"The C.D.C. just came and collected Deeks. They're moving him to their headquarters here in L.A., and if necessary, they're going to transfer him out of state." Sam said.

" _I'm sending Kensi to relieve you, Mr. Hanna._ " Hetty said, and then hung up the phone.

When Sam got to a red light, he went digging through my clothes in hopes of finding that syringe. Sam didn't find it at the red light, but when he got to the C.D.C. building Sam found the syringe. When Sam walked into the building, the nurse he spoke to at the hospital was waiting for him.

"Deeks was using this before he collapsed. I don't know what's in it, but I'm guessing that it was keeping the bio agent from spreading." Sam said, handing the syringe over to the nurse.

"This will be useful." he nurse said.

A few hours later Kensi came to replace Sam. Before Kensi got comfortable, one of the doctors that was sent to move me to a more secure location approached Kensi. "I have a quick question. Do you know anything about this puncture wound?"

The doctor showed Kensi a photo, and in the photo there was a tiny puncture in the middle of it. "Where is this located?" Kensi asks.

"Back side of the humerus, on his left arm," the doctor said.

It took Kensi a few moments to remember the incident in question. "It happened eight months ago. Is it relevant?"

"When Mr. Deeks receive that puncture wound that would be about the time that his immune system was compromised." the doctor said.

"You think he was injected with the weapon then?" Kensi asked.

"No, I think whatever was injected into his system was meant to weaken him, so they would be able to jump right in when they got Mr. Deeks on the table." the doctor said.

The doctor was satisfied in knowing how I got the puncture wound on my arm, he left Kensi to her own devices.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Seven months ago, a coffee shop on Washington Blvd-

I'm walking into this coffee shop that I've heard about from an associate of one of my undercover alias, the woman has been raving about the place, when I noticed that something was wrong. Not so much something being wrong with the crowd, but there is at least two people with long jackets standing by the coffee stand. In my mind I register them as a threat, as I go to pull out my phone and call it in I feel some hard being shoved into my back.

"Don't even think about." a cool, and calm male voice said. "Don't put your hands up, just go sit down at one of the tables."

I do as I'm instructed, plus the man still had his gun in my back. It was at this time the two people I saw standing at the coffee stands pull a handkerchief up over their mouths, and one of them fired a gun into the ceiling. "Alright, nobody move! This is a robbery!" a woman shouted.

Some of the patrons were able to escape before the doors were locked, and the rest of us were trapped inside. _Of all the things I've trained for, being taken hostage was not on the list._ I think. I take a mental head count. There are three shooters, and twenty plus hostages. Then a funny thought occurred to me. _If this is a robbery, why aren't walking around asking for wallets, and jewelry?_ I think.

Before I could come to the conclusion, one of the supposed robbers shoots a random old man in the head. I see the woman that shout out the robbery, had pointed her gun at another person, a middle aged woman, and pulled the trigger. The man behind me walked away to start shooting people. I shoot of a text to dispatch, asking how to proceed. The seconds ticked away, and more people kept dying. There must have been close to twenty people when I walked in. I felt a sharp pain in my left arm, pain so bad that I almost lost control of my body. I sprang into action. I took out the closes shooter, snapping their neck. I pull my gun, and shoot the last two, twice in the chest each.

I walk around securing the scene, removing guns, and checking the wounded. I check my phone to see what dispatch had to say. _Sit tight. Back up is on the way._ I look around at the three dead shooters, and ten plus civilians that are dead. I felt a tingling in my left arm. I look down at and see that a bullet had grazed my arm. I walk into the kitchen, and try my best to clean up the wound. When I enter the dining hall after cleaning up, I can hear the sirens of the people who were supposed to back me up. I reach over and massage the spot on my left arm, but I felt a liquid seeping from the arm. I pull my hand back so I could look at it, and I see some kind of pale white liquid. I'm not sure what to make of it. A couple minutes later, a detective walks in the coffee shop, and sees all the death.

"What happened, Deeks?" the detective asked.

"I walked in to get a drink. Then the doors were locked, and three unidentified shooters start indiscriminately firing on the patrons. I waited to hear back from dispatch, but I felt an excruciating pain in my arm, and reacted." I said.

"We'll take it from here. Go see a paramedic, and wait until another detective says you can leave." the detective said.

"Okay." I said, and then exited the shop.

I step outside and talk to a paramedic. When they get to the white liquid seeping from arm they show it to me and ask. "Do you know what this is all about?"

"I was attacked last month. I didn't notice the white liquid until, maybe, twenty minutes ago." I said.

"I'm going to take a sample of this, and send it to a lab for tests. In the meantime, I'd go to the doctor and get that check out." the paramedic said.

"You got it." I said.

The shooting happened on a Saturday. Come Monday, I had put the incident behind me, and I had forgotten to get my arm check out by a doctor. I'm placing my thing on my desk when the four of us hear. "Mr. Deeks." We all look up and see Hetty waving for me to come see her in her office. _What now?_ I think.

"In trouble already, Deeks. We haven't had our morning coffee." Sam said sarcastically.

"Yeah, whatever." I said, sharply.

Kensi, Sam and Callen all share a look as I left the office. "Wow. Deeks isn't in a joking mood. I wonder what he did this weekend to put him in a bad mood." Kensi said, as she turn to watch my conversation.

"Supposedly there was a mass shooting on Washington Blvd." Sam said.

"Why would Deeks be involved in that?" Callen asked. "He's an undercover detective, he wouldn't be needed for that."

"A fair point." Sam said.

While Callen and Sam were talking about the mass shooting incident from what they know, Hetty was getting to the heart of the matter. "How are you doing?" she asks.

"Are you ask in general, or because I was involved in that mass shooting over the weekend?" I ask.

"Both." Hetty said.

"In general, I'm okay. The department psychiatrist was able to sneak me in yesterday. And the shooting, well, you do what you can when you see half the patrons killed." I said.

"It was more than half." Hetty said. "Including the staff, there were twenty people killed."

I shake my head, as I scratch my beard. "Are you sure that you're up for this?" Hetty asks.

"I can't sit at home and do nothing Hetty. I'll drive myself crazy." I said.

"Just don't push yourself, okay?" Hetty asks.

"Okay." I said, and then got up from the chair, and head for the firing range. That conversation with Hetty was raising my stress levels. I could also feel that spot on my arm start to throb.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Present day, C.D.C. headquarters in L.A.-

The nurse came to update Kensi. "It seems that we're going to have to transfer Mr. Deeks out of state to a different facility."

"A quick question. How long until the bioweapon clears Deeks' system?" Kensi asked.

"We ran test on the pathogen in his system, and it turns out that it isn't the bioweapon. In fact, it's even worse because it's a virus we have never seen before." The nurse said.

"I'm coming to." Kensi said.

"The shuttle to the airport leaves in ten minutes." the nurse said.


	4. Chapter 4

Kensi was making her way to the basement as she was pulling her phone out her pocket. Hetty picked up as Kensi was entering the parking garage. " _What's the word Miss Blye?_ "

"The C.D.C. is transferring Deeks out of state." Kensi said, as she watch the nurses load my comatose body into the back of an ambulance. "I'll call you when we're groundside again."

" _Call me when you get to the hospital._ " Hetty said.

"Yes, Hetty," Kensi says, and then hangs up. Kensi got in one of the side doors, as the nurse was shutting the back door.

Kensi was trying to stay level headed, but seeing me in a coma was affecting her. Usually I'm up and running around, shooting my mouthing making some snide remark. But to see me like this, in a coma, hurt. After the E.M.T. had secured the I.V. and other necessary instruments, they gave the driver a thumbs to begin transport. As if seeking comfort from me, Kensi reached out and grabbed my hand. I spontaneously squeezed her hand. Kensi freaked, but the E.M.T. saw the whole exchange.

"I wouldn't get your hopes up. Patients in comas have been known to do simple actions like squeezing a hand, or retracting their hand, but it's nothing meaningful." she said.

"Clarify?" Kensi asked.

"Sometimes the body gives off electrical impulses, but there isn't always an uptick in neural activity." the woman said.

Kensi spirits plummeted when she found out that I wouldn't be waking up. "Cheer up. People have been in comas for years, and still have woken up." the woman said.

Kensi smiled, but she was still missing me. My smile, my laugh, and the way I could be obnoxious but still make her laugh. It seems that she could use me now, but I'm nowhere near her. I'm here physically, but mentally. I might as well be on the moon, and she'd still be no closer to me. I squeezed her hand, and Kensi smiles sadly.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Ops-

Sam and Callen were working on the after action reports from the raid on the warehouse, when Hetty entered the bull pen.

"Miss Blye has just informed me that they are transporting Mr. Deeks to another facility out of the state. I told her to call me when they get the hospital." Hetty said.

At this time Eric and Nell were running down the stairs to apprise the team of the news they had just stumbled across.

"Eric. Nell. What's the good word?" Sam asked.

"You're looking in the wrong place if you want that." Eric said.

"Okay. What's the word?" Callen asked.

"The C.D.C. just updated us on the situation with Deeks, and, well there is some good news. The C.D.C. has determined that the entity in Deeks is not a bioweapon, it's actually a virus that hasn't been encountered before. They're reporting it's along the lines of Ebola, or other super viruses." Nell said.

The group fell silent. A few hope that I wouldn't have to fight off a virus as extreme as Ebola. Nell said a prayer that I would get well, and that Kensi wouldn't have suffer as she waited for me to wake up.

"How long has Deeks had the virus in his system?" Callen asked.

"According to the blood work, five months." Eric said.

"How did they keep him alive for that long, while the virus ravaged his body?" Sam asked.

"It was controlled." Hetty said.

"Hetty?" Nell asked.

"If you're attempting to understand an unknown creature, put it into a petri dish, and let it grow. Control the growth, but you can understand how the creature works, and lives." Hetty said.

"That's… logical." Sam said.

Callen shot Sam a sideways glance, and Sam shrugged. Nell looked at the partners, as Eric continued. "Hetty, Director Vance will be on the big screen within the hour."

"Thank you Mr. Beale." Hetty said. "This meeting will continue in one hour."

Hetty left the bull pen, as Eric and Nell were heading back up to ops. Callen and Sam went to stretch their legs before updating, and being updated by the director.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Somewhere over the Midwest-

Kensi had just woken up from a nap as a flight attendant was making the rounds. "Would you like anything to drink miss?" she asked.

"I'll just have water." Kensi said. The woman poured Kensi a cup of water, and then moved on to the rest of the passengers.

Kensi finished her water, and then went to find my gurney. Kensi took in my features. She saw that my hair was out of place, so she smooth it into it rightful place. "There's my partner." she said with a smile.

Kensi looked up when she heard a sound. It happened to be a doctor and a nurse walking by. "Are they ready for us? The nurse asked.

"There have been some setbacks with the room that they are prepping for the patient." The doctor said.

Kensi heard that there were problems at the site that we were going to. That the room that was being prepped for me is experiencing a couple of setbacks. Kensi remained quiet, and listens to the rest of the conversation.

"They built the equipment for this patient which hasn't been tested properly, and we only had a couple of weeks, tops, to get the equipment up and running. What do you expect?" the doctor asked.

"The C.D.C is usually known for having things prepped and ready before hand." the nurse said.

"This is new technology, so of course there are going to be a few problems." the doctor said.

"A few, I heard that it's been causing problems for the staff every few hours." the nurse said.

"That was two weeks ago. Now the only part that is giving them problems…" Kensi didn't catch the rest of the conversation because the nurse and doctor didn't stop, they kept walking. She got up and went after the pair. "Excuse me." Kensi said when she approached.

"Yes." the doctor said.

"I couldn't myself, but I was just listening to your conversation. If the equipment isn't operational when we arrive, what are we going to do?" Kensi asks.

"If the equipment isn't operational, the patient is in stable condition at the moment. So we will leave him hooked up to the equipment is currently on, until the prototype equipment is ready." the nurse said.

"Oh, okay." Kensi said. The nurse and doctor watch as Kensi let out of a sigh of relief. "It's almost expected that if there is a new equipment being used for the first time that there will be problems." the doctor said.

Kensi nodded her head, and then walk back to my gurney. Kensi is unsure of our relationship, but knows that I don't mind that much, seeing as how she has fallen asleep on me during those late night movie nights, she rest her head on my chest and takes a nap.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Six months ago-

"Where was this picture taken?" I ask.

"In valley." Kensi said, as she brought the coordinates up on the plasma. It was in a wooded part on the outskirts of the San Fernando Valley.

"Dude, that's backwoods country. That place is going to be crawling with rednecks" I say. A thought crosses my mind. "Sam if you hear banjos, run!"

"Shut up, Deeks." Sam says.

My phone started ringing the moment Sam told me to shut up. I pull my phone out and see that it's Bates. _This can't be good._ I think. "What do you have, Lt.?" I say answering the call.

" _Word just came in. There's a hostage situation at the university._ " Bates said.

"What do you need me for?" I ask. _Why do you need an undercover detective at a hostage scenario?_ I think.

"The hostage taker only had one demand. You are negotiating the release." Bates said.

"Seriously. The man could have asked for a Swedish massage, and a happy ending to go with it. Would you give it to him?" I ask.

" _Not my call, detective. Now get down to UCLA, before I recall you and stick you on traffic for a month._ " Bates threatened.

"You wouldn't, but alright I'm going." I say as I disconnect the call.

"What was that about?" Callen asked.

"Nothing. You guys are going have to go without me." I say, getting up from me desk. I exit the bull pen and make my way over to Hetty's desk.

"Mr. Deeks, what can I do for you this lovely afternoon?" Hetty asked.

"You won't be calling lovely afternoon after you hear my request." I say.

"Okay." she said.

"Bates just recalled me. There's a hostage situation over at UCLA. I need you to work whatever magic you can, and get me whatever you can find on the situation." I say.

It took Hetty a few minutes to realize why I asked her the question. "One of the demands was for you to negotiate the release of the hostage?" she asked.

I nod my head. Hetty gives me a sideways glance. "I told Bates the same thing. He threatened to stick me on traffic duty for a month if I didn't get over there.

"I'll see what I can do." Hetty said.

"Thanks. And don't tell the others." I say. Hetty nodded her understanding.

I'm heading to the garage, when Kensi dropped in step with me, and walked me out. "What did Bates want?" she asked.

"I was recalled to work a hostage situation at UCLA." I say.

"Do they need an undercover detective for that?" she asks.

"Detectives can be used for anything, and any situation." I say.

"Let me know how it turned out." Kensi said, and then went over to the SRX.

"Yeah, that's not happening." I say as I make my way over to my car.

I'm not even aware of my surroundings. I've been to the university so many times that I'm driving on auto pilot, while I'm lost in my head. _What's going? Who's the target? And why call me?_ These are some of the questions that are flying through my head. I pull up to the police command center as my phone beeps, signifying that I have a message. I pull my phone out, and see that it's from Hetty. _The person in charge for the police is Detective Theseus Roman, and the person who made the demand to talk to you is Kyle Ramone._

I read the message, and I almost crapped myself. Kyle was top notch negioator for the police back in the nineties. I send a message back, thanking Hetty. I get out of my car, and head over to the police command center.

"Deeks, where have you been? We've been waiting an hour for you?" Theseus asked.

"Does anybody know who were dealing with?" I asked.

"He made his first demand, and we've been sitting tight ever since." Theseus said.

"You have got to be kidding me." I said. But before the argument could go any further, the phone rang again. I walked over, and answered the phone. "This is Detective Deeks speaking. What can I do you for Kyle Ramone?"

The atmosphere in the trailer became electrified when I said the name. I think I even heard somebody swear.

"You've heard of me?" Kyle asked. "Who told you I was on the other end of the line?"

"I was informed by an outside source not currently on scene, or connected to the L.A.P.D." I said.

"Well, now the cat is out of the bag, I guess it's time to get this show on the road." Kyle said.

"Look Kyle, why don't you let the hostage go, and…"

"I took the hostage as insurance." Kyle said. "I know the L.A.P.D.'s protocol. Pull the snipers back."

I look at Theseus, and he shakes his head. "As you said the cats out of the bag, all bets are off. The person in charge isn't pulling off the snipers. Any other demands?" I ask.

"You think this is a joke?" Kyle asked.

"Does it sound like I'm laughing? And don't even threaten the hostage because if you kill the hostage I will walk in that building and put a bullet in your skull." I said.

"Bold words. I look forward to ramming them down your throat." Kyle said.

That spot on my left arm is beginning to throb again. I have to ignore to keep to keep command from asking about it. "Try me. Your second demand failed is there anything else I can do?" I ask.

My ploy worked because Kyle moved onto his next demand. "I was accused two days ago murdering a witness, and stealing classified evidence from the department." Kyle said.

"What are you asking?" I say a little puzzled.

"I want a case reopened. Roman knows the case in question. Call me back when you have an answer." Kyle said, and then hung up the phone.

"You want to enlighten us?" I asked Theseus as I hung up the phone.

"Kyle and I caught wind of police corruption in the thirteenth precinct…"

"Are you kidding me? The Thirteenth? Is that who were are working with?" I ask on the edge of hysterics.

"Yeah, why?" Theseus asks.

The Thirteenth precinct is the most corrupt section of the city. Anybody who's anybody is on some sort of payroll out there. I pick up the phone, and dial Kyle back.

"You opened my case already that was fast." Kyle said.

"The Thirteenth Precinct, Kyle? You were investigating the Thirteenth Precinct? Do you know what kind of trouble you brought down on yourself?" I almost shriek.

"We did it willing. You still haven't opened my case have you?" Kyle realized that I hadn't done anything.

"You know darn well that's not going to matter. If we have any snipers from the Thirteenth out here, you'll be dead before that case gets reopened." I say.

"I have no problem using a shield." Kyle said. "Are you willing to have to have a child's death on your conscience?"

"I'll call you back." I say ending the call abruptly. I pick up the com to communicate with the police. "I want all snipers to back off. I want this person alive."

"What are you doing Deeks?" Theseus said. Theseus picked up his own com. "Snipers, belay that order."

"Snipers if you don't stand down I _will_ bring you up on charges." I say. I looked at Theseus. "You knew what you were doing when you opened those files. You knew that this was going to…"

I was struck with a funny thought. _What if Theseus is dirty? What if I was called in to buy him some time? And why would Kyle ask for me? I don't know him?_ I thought. I bolt from the command center because I realized that Kyle will not be leaving this incident alive.

"Deeks?" I heard Theseus yell after me.

I hear a commotion behind me. I realize that it was the crowd and the numerous news entities that were covering the scene. I enter the building, and I question the first group of cops I see.

"Which room?" I ask.

"It's too dangerous, you can't go in there." a cop said.

"Which room?" I shout but it was too late.

We hear a shot being taken, and the four of us take off running for the room Kyle was holding the hostage in. I ram my shoulder into the door, and it violently swings open. I scan the room for another hostage taker, but there's only Kyle. I finally look at Kyle and I can see he's gasping for air, which means that a lung was punctured. And even worse, there was a dead child with a bullet wound in his head next to Kyle's body. The spot on my arm is hurting again, and I feel that ooze sliding down my arm again.

I walk over to get a Kleenex off the teacher's desk, and clean up my arm. And to my horror it wasn't a white liquid that was seeping out of my arm. It was blood. I decide to head to the hospital before heading back to Ops. Hetty is going to order me to the hospital anyway, so I might as well do it now. I exit the building, and I'm immediately flanked by a sea of reporters. I hear the questions, but they're going in one ear and out the other.

"Deeks!" I hear Theseus call out.

I walk over to Theseus and shove him against the wall. "I know what you did. So if I were you I'd enjoy your freedom, and I would tell you partner to enjoy his freedom because I going to be coming for you." I say. I let go of Theseus, not caring the whole incident was caught by the news reporters. I get in my car and leave the scene.

Three hours later, and a visit to the hospital, I find myself back at Ops filling out paperwork. Half an hour after I began filling out the paperwork, I hear Kensi, Sam and Callen walking up the tunnel, laughing. _At least they had a fun day._ I think.

"Deeks. You missed a wild ride." Sam said.

"Oh, really." I say feeding off of Sam's energy.

"Even I have to admit, that today would have been right up your alley." Callen said.

"Really?" I say.

"We'll let Kensi tell the story seeing as how she was the one to see it all go down." Sam said, laughing.

I turn to Kensi expecting her to launch into the story, but she was looking at me. Trying to understand my sullen mood. "I'm waiting." I say not really in the mood to recap my day. The picture of the dead boy with a hole in his head still haunts me.

"Well I got into a chase with one of the suspects down by a river. We went wading through the river, and the suspect had tripped and fell." Kensi began, taken back my attitude. "When the man went to brace himself his hand had slammed down on a tale of an animal. Well it turned out to be a beaver. The beaver wasn't happy, or he hurt the creature, that it turned on him and bit his nipple off."

"What? Wait a minute? It bit his nipple off? Was the dude running around without a shirt on?" I asked stupefied by what I just heard.

"No, actually he was wearing a shirt and you can see his nipples through the fabric." Kensi said.

"Got his nipple bitten off." I say.

Sam and Callen nodded at me. "Did not bite. Bit it off." I say still trying to comprehend what I heard. Kensi nodded her head. "I can see the headlines now: man on the run from federal agent get his nipple bitten off by a beaver."

Kensi trying her hardest not to laugh, while both Sam and Callen are shaking their heads. Then another funny thought crosses my mind. "That is the only time words beaver and nipple can be used in the same sentence, and no one would be offended."

Kensi busts out laughing, and Callen stares at me. "Touché, Deeks," was all Sam could say.

"Mr. Deeks."

We all turn to see Hetty standing on the stairs leading to her office. She waves for me to come to her office. I get up from my desk, and make my way over to her office. When I approach her desk, I see two shot glasses and a bottle of scotch. Hetty pours for the both of us, and raises her glass. I raise mine.

"To making it out alive." Hetty said.

"Making it out alive." I say.

We down the shot, and then I ask. "Hetty I need a favor." I say.

"What is it?" Hetty asks.

 _A/N: That beaver joke at the end of the chapter I stole from a comedian. It made sense to throw it in there because of how I started the flashback in this chapter._


	5. Chapter 5

Sam and Callen were entering ops as the big screen went active. "Director Vance." Callen greeted.

" _Agents. Hetty._ " Director Vance greeted back.

"What did the C.I.A. have to say about leaving us in the dark?" Hetty asked getting down to business.

" _He didn't say._ " Vance said.

"Let me guess. He stands by the decision his agents call?" Sam asked.

" _In not so many words._ " Vance said. " _What's the word on Detective Deeks?_ "

"At first we thought he had a bio agent in him, but now we're being told that the entity could be something along the lines of Ebola, or another super virus." Nell said.

" _Do we have a time line on when Deeks came down with the virus?_ " Vance asked.

"We think he contract the virus in the five month window after he was abducted." Sam said.

" _What about the three incidents before he was abducted?_ " Vance asked.

"The first incident eight months ago was when he was attack, and received that puncture wound on his arm. The second incident seven months ago he was involved in a stick up that quickly turned into a massacre. And then the last incident that occurred six months ago, was a hostage situation that he was called into diffuse. Before the event reach it's resolution both the hostage taker and the hostage were both killed. The hostage was a child." Hetty said rattling off the events before my abduction.

When Hetty mentioned that a child was murdered, Sam and Callen had become uncomfortable. Callen, the self-proclaimed lone wolf, felt sorry for me. Then again those three incidents are a lot for anybody to swallow.

"So we have nothing to show for the C.I.A. task force?" Hetty asked.

" _Correct._ " Vance said.

"We _may_ have nothing to show for the task force, but we have incoming transmission from the N.S.A." Nell said.

"Put them through, Miss Jones." Hetty said.

Director Vance's square was pushed to the side, and another square appeared on the screen. It was Agent Jones. "Agent Jones. To what do we owe the pleasure of the call?" Sam asked.

" _We just finished our analyzing, and categorizing the data we secured from that warehouse._ " Jones said.

" _What did you find?_ " Director Vance asked.

" _Director Vance, I didn't know you were on the line._ " Jones said.

" _No need for formalities Agent Jones, what did you learn?_ " Vance asked.

" _Down to business, I see. As we were sifting through the data we found a model of the virus that was used. I don't have a degree in field of science, so I'm not going to speculate what that model I saw was, but I'm sending it your way._ " Jones said.

"Much appreciated." Callen said.

" _Jones, over and out._ " he said signing off.

Jones' square disappeared from the big screen, then Director Vance's square went back to the middle of the big screen. Nell's tablet dinged, signaling the email from the N.S.A. had arrived. Nell accessed the email, and put picture of the model that represents the virus up on the big screen. Callen looked at Sam, and then Sam looked at Callen. "Not to state the obvious, but I have no clue what I'm looking at." Callen said.

"Email the picture to Miss Blye, Mr. Beale. The doctors could use this model to work on an antivirus for Mr. Deeks." Hetty said.

Eric created a new message, attached the picture with a message to give a doctor, and then sent the message. "Message away." Eric said

"Mr. Beale, Miss Jones. I want you to sift through the data as well. We might find other details about this event." Hetty said.

Eric and Nell sat down at computers, and then Hetty, Callen and Sam exited ops.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Five months ago, Ops-

I was in the gym hitting the heavy bag when Sam came in to workout. Sam watched for a bit, and saw that I was a bit off my game. He went into the locker room to get changed than and came back out. "Deeks."

I turn and saw Sam, who was throwing headgear at me. I caught it, strapped it on, and approached the ring. We sparred a few rounds. Each round more horrible than the last. "Dude where's your head at? That's a rookie mistake." Sam chided me after he beat me again.

"Ever had one of those days were nothing goes right?" I ask cutting to the chase.

"Yeah we all have them, so what's your point?" he asked.

"My point? Three months ago I get approached by some strange woman I've never met before only to have her attack me, and I'm left with a nasty wound afterwards. Two months ago I was trapped in a coffee shop where just about everyone in the shop was killed. After I stopped the shooting I noticed that there was a white ooze seeping from the wound. Last month I was recalled to work a hostage situation where the hostage taker had no intention of being talked down. Both the hostage taker and the hostage were killed. When the wound started seeping again, it was blood that came out. I'm having a hard time concentrating after the three months I had." I said.

"That wasn't the problem when you and Kensi sparred." Sam reminded me.

"Maybe my partner made it easier to spar because she took my mind off of everything that occurred recently. I'm not making any excuses Sam." I say.

"And I don't expect you too. It's just that if you were having problems, don't you think you should see a doctor, or stay home until you had it all sorted out?" Sam asked.

"Would you?" I ask.

"A fair point." Sam said.

The conversation ended when my phone started ringing. I walk over to see who it was. And it was Bates, again. "Oh, this is rich." I say, and then answer the phone. "What do you have, Lt?"

" _You're needed back at the precinct. I can't divulge any details until you return._ " Bates says.

"How soon do you need me back?" I ask.

" _As soon as humanly possible._ " Bates says.

"Alright." I say and then hang up the phone.

"What did Bates want?" Sam asked.

"I've been officially recalled to work a case. I won't get any details until I get back to the precinct." I say.

I round up my gear, hit the locker room, take a shower, and then head back to my desk to round up my gear. As I was about to shut down my laptop it dinged, letting me know that I had a message. I opened the email, which was from Hetty, and the contents of the message we're about the arrest of Theseus Roman and the sniper, whose name I've never heard of, who killed Kyle and the child. I send a message back thanking her, and then shut down my laptop. I pack it up, and then leave.

After I had left the bull pen Kensi walks in and sees my laptop was missing. Callen was entering the bull pen a few seconds later. "Callen, have you seen Deeks?" she asked.

Callen looked at my empty desk to see that my laptop was missing. "Not recently, but I know he was here earlier because I remember seeing his laptop. Sam have you seen Deeks this morning?" Callen asked Sam as he entering the bull pen.

"Deeks just got recalled like twenty minutes ago." Sam said as he took a seat at his desk, and opened his laptop.

There was a moment of silence. "And he left without saying anything?" Kensi asked.

"Bates wouldn't give him any pertinent information about the case until he showed." Sam said still looking at his computer. There was longer moment of silence before Sam looked up from his computer. "Come on. When did we receive pertinent details about a case in the field?"

"Ops isn't the field." Kensi said.

"It isn't the precinct either." Sam says.

Kensi left the bull pen to go find Hetty. "So how did the sparring session go?" Callen asked.

"In Deeks defense he has had a rather rough three months, but he was distracted and making rookie mistakes." Sam said.

Callen shook his head, and was about to respond when they heard their call to work. Sam got up from his desk as Callen was exiting the bull pen, and the two friends walked up the stairs together. When they entered ops, they could see that Kensi wanted to be anywhere else but here, but she kept her mind in the game and listened to the brief. It was a pretty cut and dry briefing: dead marine and not much else to go on. After the assignments were doled out, Sam hung back to ask Eric a question. "Eric, I have favor to ask."

"What's that Sam?" Eric asked.

"I need to you to find whatever information you can on what Deeks' new assignment is." Sam said.

"When did he get recalled?" Nell asked looking up from her computer.

"Not even fifty minutes ago." Sam said.

"It's going to take some time." Eric said.

"Do so without causing any trouble." Sam said.

"Will do." Nell said.

Sam nodded at the pair, and then went to find Callen.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Deeks' Precinct-

I was making his way up to Bates' office up on the third floor, I did so in in my own little world. Whenever someone said hi I would respond, but other than that I kept to myself. I was used to the looks of spite and disgust that I just drowned them out. I make it to Bates office without causing a scene. That last time I came through I almost got suspended, and I didn't even do anything. I opened Bates' office door, and step inside. As I'm shutting the door I see that Bates is on the phone, he pointed at a chair, and then I heard. "He just arrived. I'll give him the short version, and then you can give him the full briefing when he arrives." Bates said, and then hung up the phone.

"What's up Lt?" I ask.

"You've been recalled to work a case involving stole materials." Bates said.

"Why me? You have three other detectives beside me who could handle the case." I say.

"Those three other detectives don't extensive experience, like you, working with the federal government." he said.

"So. They've still interacted with the feds before. What's changed?" I asked.

"They don't have an extensive, and successful recorded for closing cases like you do." he said.

"We both know that's not true, but I'll bite. What's the briefing?" I ask.

"There's a fringe group that has stolen material for an experimental A.I.D.S. cure. The C.I.A. has been tracking their movement, and they have stopped here in east L.A. to work on the materials." he said.

"What do they plan to do with the materials? What's their endgame?" I ask.

"You'll have to ask the agent in charge when you get there. Go to this location to meet the task force." Bates said.

"Thanks, Lt." I say, and then exit Bates' office.

I look at the address, it was in the middle of downtown L.A., and then exit the precinct. The drive to where I'm supposed to meet the task force is delayed because it's the middle of rush hour traffic, and there isn't a short cut to where I'm trying to go.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Ops-

"Miss Blye." Hetty called.

Kensi was doing paperwork in the bull pen, and she needed a distraction. Kensi got up from her desk and walked over to Hetty's office. "I'm sorry Miss Blye, but I haven't been able to learn the purpose of Mr. Deeks being recalled." Hetty said as Kensi entered.

"Thanks anyways, Hetty." Kensi said, and then exited Hetty's office.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Present Day, Atlanta, Ga-

Kensi was stepping off the plane at the airport in Atlanta, when she decided to call Ops to figure what she is looking at. Kensi was looking at some sort of model, but she had no clue what it was. The line rang five times before someone picked up.

" _Hello._ " Nell answered.

"Nell, I received Eric's email, and I have no idea what I'm looking at." Kensi says.

" _That's a model of the virus currently inside Deeks' body._ " Nell said.

"I'll pass it onto to the medical staff first chance I get. Take care, Nell." Kensi says.

" _Bring Shaggy back to us._ " Nell said.

Kensi laughs she ends the call.

 _A/N: I like to thank the people who are enjoying the story, you're making this story enjoyable to write, but this note is to a particular reader who is very vocal about how bad the story is, and you know who you are. I would like to point out two things. Firstly, this is a fan fiction site, which means that people are allowed to use characters created by C.B.S. or another entity, and use them as they see fit. If you had read some of my other stories you would realize that I hardly ever portray Deeks as he is on the TV show. Secondly, if the story is as bad as you say you are more than you are more than welcomed to read one of the other five thousand seven hundred stories in the N.C.I.S. L.A. library that Fan Fiction has to offer. If you are going to constantly criticize without offering help on ways that I could possibly change the story, which by the way is not wanted or needed, I suggest you stop reading the story._


	6. Chapter 6

Kensi is walking through the headquarters of the C.D.C. heading back to the nurse's station on my floor. She had just gotten off the phone with Hetty letting her know that we are at the C.D.C. headquarters in Georgia.

"Nurse." Kensi said.

"Yes." he said.

"I have information that could help the doctors fight the virus inside Deeks." Kensi said.

"Really? What is it?" he asked.

"I have a picture, and in it is a model of the virus that is currently ravaging his system." Kensi says.

"I'll go get the doctor." he said, and left to get one of the doctors treating me.

Kensi took a seat in my room as she waited for the nurse to return with the doctor. While she was waiting, Kensi felt distant from me, which was going to be the case until I woke up, so she grabbed my hand and rest the back of my hand against her cheek. Kensi could smell the faint smell of hospital soap. Kensi frowns weakly because she misses the smell that is me. She misses the smell of my cologne, and whatever other scents that my skin could retain. _I never knew that I had a particular scent, besides my cologne and laundry detergent._ I think.

"Miss Blye," a voice said from the doorway.

Kensi let go of my hand, wiped a stray tear, as she was rising to talk to the doctor. "Yes."

"I'm Doctor Neilson. The nurse explained to me that you had a model of the virus in Mr. Deeks' body." she said.

"I have it on my phone." Kensi said.

"Could you please send it to this address?" Dr. Neilson asked, as she pulled out a business card. Kensi pulled out her phone and opened Eric's email. Kensi downloaded the photo to her phone, and then attached to a new email. Kensi put Dr. Neilson's email address in send to line, and then sent the message. "Done." Kensi said.

"You're a lifesaver. That picture should cut out a lot of the guess work. I will return when I have an update on the situation." Dr. Neilson said and then left. Kensi took a seat, and then picked my hand back up resting it against her cheek again.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Los Angeles-

Callen and Sam are chasing a suspect in a hoodie across Santa Monica Pier when Sam cut off trying to get ahead of the man. As Callen continued to chase the suspect, he started to notice details about the suspect. Next thing that either Callen or the suspect knew, Sam came flying out of nowhere tackling the suspect.

"Nice flying tackle." Callen said as Sam was turning the, and cuffing them.

"And? If the suspect would have kept going, he would have lost you in the crowd on the next street." Sam said.

"Actually Sam, I'm not sure that's a he." Callen said as Sam lifted the suspect up.

Sam looked at Callen like he was crazy, and then pulled the hood down to reveal that they were, in fact, chasing a woman. "How did you know that?" Sam asked.

"Her frame and height gave her away." Callen said.

"I want a lawyer." The woman said.

Sam gave Callen a look of surprise. "I bet you do." Sam said.

Sam gave the woman a push, and then the three of the walked back to the challenger.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

One week into my assignment-

"If the C.I.A. is in charge why is the F.B.I. running the investigation?" I ask, as we were heading out to the parking garage.

"Technically C.I.A. can't operate on American soil. So they had to pass it off onto the F.B.I., and they offer peripheral support." Agent Kyle of the F.B.I. said.

"How did they catch wind of it? Was it in one of this operations overseas, and then report back to Washington?" I ask.

"No. The F.B.I. was already tracking the group, but C.I.A. had a man inside the group. So the C.I.A. was calling the shots." she said.

"Where are we headed to?" I asked.

"We have multiple stops, but our final stop, and we'll be there half the night, is the Palace Theater." she said.

"Why are we hanging out by the Palace?" I ask.

"Usually there are a few people from the group that go there to meet the buyers. The C.I.A. agent on the inside said that there are supposed to be a few meetings before the actual sale goes down." she says.

"In the words of the late Robin Williams, "This is not going to be your normal night of theater. This is going to Shakespeare with a strap on. So that's the way you like!"" I say.

"What no pelvic thrust?" she asks.

"I'm sorry, what?" I ask, a little stupefied by what I heard.

"When Robin Williams told that joke he added a pelvic thrust on at the end." she said with a smile.

"Touché. This is going to be an interesting partnership." I say looking out the windshield.

We made four stops before pulling up in an alley behind the Palace Theater. The sun had set shortly after we arrived. Kyle wanted to chit chat to kill the time, but something had set me on edge, and it had nothing to do with the woman in the car with me. "Hold that thought would you." I say, and then step out of the car. As I was shutting the car door I heard Kyle calling my name, but it got cut off when the door closed. I make my way to the front of the alley. My arm had started to ache, but nothing on the main street looked out of place. I turned around and head to the back of the alley and see what's behind us.

I peered out of the alley to see some dumpster, a homeless man, and some garbage on the ground. Something seemed off, but I walked back to the car unsure of what that feeling was.

"What was that about?" Kyle asked when I got back in.

"I don't know, but something is off." I say.

"What should we do?" she asks.

"For now, nothing. Let's just finish this shift and get out of here." I say, and then we fall silent.

We take shifts. Kyle takes the first watch, and then about midnight she wakes me to take the second watch. It was two hours before we were relieved, and sent home for the night. Kyle drops me off at my car, and then we both head home for the night.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Ops-

Come morning Hetty was making her way up to ops to see if Eric and Nell have learned anything about my assignment. She isn't going to like what they have found out.

"Mr. Beale. Miss Jones. What have you found out about our wayward detective?" Hetty asked as she entered ops.

"Other than it's a joint task-force between several federal agencies, nothing." Nell said.

"We were able to follow Deeks to the location where the task-force is meeting, but we haven't been able to get to information on why the task-force was created." Eric said.

"Incoming." Nell said, and answered the incoming call on the big screen.

"Director Frye, to what do I owe the pleasure of the call?" Hetty asked.

""You're dogs have been digging around, looking for information that is of no pertinence to them." Frye said.

"Well my dogs have saved more lives than any of your agents combined, so I would ask that you would show respect." Hetty reprimand.

Frye didn't respond, he just ended the call. "What agency does Frye command?" Eric asked.

"The F.B.I. At least we know at least one of the agencies involved." Nell said. The computer started beeping. "We got a case Eric."

Eric got up from his computer to round up the team, and Hetty followed him out.

N.C.I.S L.A.

One month into my assignment, task-force command center-

We were sitting through another boring brief, or debrief, I can't remember. We have sat through so many meetings, I've lost track of time. A couple of times I dozed off, and Kyle had to wake me up a couple of times. "What's wrong with you?" she scolded me after one of the meetings.

"You can't be serious." I say.

"I take you've never work with the federal government before?" she asks.

"I was recall by my superior from N.C.I.S. when I needed to come work here. Spending all this time sitting in meetings, when we could be out gathering information, is a waste of time. I understand we need to share information, but we shouldn't be doing big meetings like this all the time." I say.

"You were recalled from N.C.I.S. by your boss?" she asks.

"I was dumped on N.C.I.S. because nobody in the L.A.P.D. likes me." I say.

Kyle was taken back by my admission, and we exit the building in silence. We continue to make the nightly stakeouts, and I become increasingly nervous as each night passes. For some strange reason I keep seeing that woman, _Vivian Prior._ I think, all over the place. In mirrors, reflected in windows, I think I hear her voice over-lapping onto of Kyle's. _This task-force is going to be the death of me._ I think.

"You okay?" Kyle asked one afternoon while we were running errands.

"I'm looking for someone who I ran into me a few months ago." I say.

"That must be kind of awkward." she says.

"You have no idea." I say.

We were rear ended, and before we could get out of the car, the bullets started flying. We returned fire, which cause the shooters to take cover, allowing us to get out of the car. I make my way towards the other car, and when one of the guy sits up to shoot again I put two bullets in his chest. His partner had enough sense to surrender. I tell the other man to get out, and lay down on the ground with his hands behind his back. After the man has complied, I cuff him as I scan the crowd. Kyle comes walking up to me on her phone, but I have a strange feeling of déjà vu. I turn and look behind me and I see some strange man that I have never seen before, but before I could get a good look at his face he disappeared into the crowd.

"The local P.D. should be here in a few moments." she said.

"Well, at least it won't be my station house." I say as I'm pulling the suspect up off the ground. Ten minutes later the head of our task force shows up.

"Kyle. Deeks. You two okay?" he asked.

"Better when we can get back to work." Kyle says.

"Ditto." I say.

"Well it shouldn't be much longer." he said.

After he, finished speaking our boss started walking back to his car, but before he got there he was shot and killed. Kyle and I hit the deck just as the next shot rang out, and our suspect was murdered. I scramble to a crouched position, and walk/run to get out off the street. Just as I'm getting to an alley I hear another shot being fired. I turn to see Kyle go down. I have a strange feeling come over me. I turn around and I'm face to face with Vivian Prior again. My reaction time was not what it usually was because I was stuck on stupid. I watched as Vivian pulled out a gun and shoot me. I felt something prick my neck, and I became drowsy. I pulled whatever was in my neck, and saw that it was a dart. I fall over backwards, and before I blacked out I watched as Vivian knelt down and whisper. "It will make sense in time."

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Ops-

Eric and Nell were scour the net trying to help Kensi, Sam and Callen with their current case, when Nell's computer started beeping. "What's that about?" Eric asked looking over at Nell's computer.

"I put an alert out if there was any information about Deeks, or his case. It looks like I got a hit." Nell said.

Nell brought up, and queued the footage. They saw that it was a video that was being shared with law enforcement agencies around the city. The video started with some locals at a restaurant talking about the food, and then they saw two cars collide. Nell and Eric watched as I jumped out of the first car, and then walk back to the car that hit us. I shoot the first guy twice, and then arrest his partner. Our boss came out to talk to us, and then left. Before he got back to his car he was killed. Then our suspect was killed. They watched as I made my way over to the alley on the side of the road. Then my partner was killed, and then I was knocked out and abducted.


	7. Chapter 7

Atlanta, Georgia, two weeks after Kensi and my arrival-

The lab techs scanning the model that Kensi gave them were having a field day. Every time they think they have a way to neutralize the virus something bad happens. The drug they use causes some kind of negative reaction and winds up harming, and or killing me. They haven't tried any of these drugs, so every time they think of a new drug they always ran a simulation to see what it could do to my system before using it. "Okay. Every drug we use winds up killing the patient either outright, or in the long run. We're going to have to get creative." the head lab tech said.

"How do you propose that?" one of his subordinates asked.

"Let's test the virus for similarities to other viruses, and then try tailor treatment to it." the head lab tech said.

"I've always enjoyed a challenge, but this is ridiculous." another subordinate said.

"It's not over until the fat lady sings," another subordinate said.

Elsewhere in the hospital. The doctors and nurses had finished restarting my heart. Supposedly that was the third time that my heart had stopped. Kensi is on edge. The thought of losing me is tough to swallow. She knows that I could die at any time, whether it be from taking a bullet, or dying in a car accident. But death by some super virus is not something she was expecting. _Not that I blame her. Of all the ways cool ways to die in this world, death by a virus is not how I want to go. Then again, I rather not go at al._ I think.

Kensi leaves to go make a phone call.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Los Angeles, boat shed-

Callen and Sam were waiting for the suspect's lawyer to arrive, which was now going on three hours. At that time the plasma went live and Hetty started speaking.

" _Gentlemen, I had an interesting conversation with the suspect's lawyer._ " she said.

"Really." Callen said.

"How did it go?" Sam asked.

" _When the lawyer found out that the suspect had broken the law again, he told me that his client was on her own_." she said.

"Oh, this day just keeps getting better and better." Sam said, and then headed for the door with Callen right behind him.

"I'm not talking until my lawyer shows?" the suspect said when Sam opened the door.

"Or you could quit stalling because your lawyer told our boss that since you broke the law again he isn't coming to bail you out." Callen said.

"You're bluffing?" the suspect said.

"We've been here for three hours waiting for your lawyer, albeit, I liked to know how he got Hetty's number." Sam said.

"This is tinsel town. She probably knows everybody who's anybody. That, or Hetty called him." Callen said.

"Fair enough." Sam said.

"You want to keep stalling, or do you want to play ball?" Callen asked.

The suspect remained silent for a few moments, and then she began to speak. Divulging all the information that was necessary to solve the case.

"Tell us where the meeting is going to go down, and we'll put in a good word with the D.A." Sam said.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Four months ago: Just minutes after Eric and Nell witnessed my abduction, Ops-

Hetty was in her office on the phone to Washington. The moment Nell had told her that I had been abducted she called Director Vance to inform him of the abduction, but that was going nowhere.

"What's the matter Hetty?" Sam asked, unaware of my abduction.

"Mr. Deeks has just been abducted while on assignment. And the buffoons in Washington aren't picking up their phones." Hetty said hanging up her phone.

"Should Callen and I go to the scene and investigate?" he asked.

"I highly doubt that they'll let you in, but you can try." she said.

"We'll go see what they have discovered." he said, and then left.

Sam picked Callen up on the way to the parking garage. "We got a case, partner?" Callen asked.

"Deeks has just been abducted." Sam said, and then dialed ops.

" _Hello._ " Eric answered.

"Eric can you send me the address for the site where Deeks was abducted?" Sam asked.

" _It's on your phone._ " Eric said.

Sam heard a beep, signifying that he received the message from Eric. "Thanks Eric," and then hung up the phone.

"Where are you two going?" Kensi asked.

"Deeks was just abducted while on assignment." Callen said.

Kensi fell in step behind the senior agents, and they all climbed into the challenger to go see what they could learn about my abduction.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Crime scene-

Sam parked the challenger, and the three of them got out. They showed their badges, and were let into the crime scene. Sam found a friendly, to an extent, L.A.P.D. detective and approached him. "What do we know?" Sam asked.

"According to the witness statements this whole incident started after Deeks and his partner were rear-ended." he said.

"Anything else?" Callen asks.

"The killer shot the two federal agents, the man that Deeks and his partner had in custody, and abducted Deeks. The witnesses said that Deeks froze before he was kidnapped." the detective said.

"Any reason why?" Callen asked.

"The person that abducted him was a woman. She shot him in the neck with a tranquilizer, then she and her partner took Deeks and left the scene of the crime." the detective said.

"Anybody get the car model, and plates?" Sam asked.

"I'm afraid not. They left the scene of the crime, and that's all we have been told." The detective said.

"Thank you for your time." Sam said.

The detective nodded, and then went to coordinate with C.S.U. "Seriously, the L.A.P.D. still hasn't gotten over its dislike of Deeks?" Callen ask.

"Well, you know how that goes." Sam says.

"Where'd Kensi go?" Callen asked.

"Probably went to run down a lead, while we were stuck talking to L.A.P.D." Sam said.

A few blocks south of the crime scene, Kensi found an oil spill and tire tracks. She took a picture of the tire tracks and sent them to Ops to be identified. But before calling Ops Kensi checked for cameras in the area. The nearest camera was on the main street, so she called it in.

" _Hello._ " Nell answered the phone.

"Nell I got tire tracks I need you to run down, possible match for the car that used was abducted Deeks and I have a camera on East Broadway and South." Kensi says.

" _I have the tire tracks. I have the camera, pulling it up._ " Nell said. There was a few seconds before Nell spoke again. " _The camera system is down in that area for maintenance, sorry._ "

"No need to apologize. We'll just have work a different angle." Kensi said, and then hung up the phone.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

A warehouse at an unknown location-

I was being brought into a warehouse at an undisclosed location. They parked the car, and pulled me out of the backseat. I was placed on a gurney, and then my wrist and ankles were bound. I was wheeled into a room with at least ten other beds all occupied with people of all ages, and ethnicities. I regain consciousness momentarily, and a wave of horror washes over me when I realize how much trouble I'm in. I've seen enough movies to know what is coming next. _I've done a lot of work, but nothing could have prepared me for this day._ I think.

I see movement on the far side of the room, and I close my eyes. I can hear two voices, one male and one female, but I can't make sense of what they are talking about.

"You don't want to know what they are talking about." a familiar says.

"Why is that?" I whisper, cracking my left eye just enough to see that it was Vivian talking to me.

"They are talking about all the ways to use the virus they are about to use on the eleven, and possible ways they can use it against the public after you are supposedly dead." she said.

"Supposedly?" I ask.

"Yeah, supposedly. What do you think I injected you for all the months ago?" she asks.

"I don't know, but it has been in pain in my butt these past four months." I hiss.

"That was the point. The white liquid you saw oozing out of your arm was meant to protect you later." she said.

"Oh, yeah, how?" I ask.

"The virus is going to slowly kill you. Everybody else will be dead by the time this experiment is over. Others with a few weeks." she said.

"And what, that ooze is supposed to be some of last line of defense?" I asked.

"Be quiet!" she hisses.

"Vivian. In five minutes, or less, we are going to begin stripping the test subjects." a voice said. It was a male, possibly late forties, early fifties.

"Yes, Ulric." She said.

"Stripping?" I ask.

"They're going to remove your immune system, so they can get a better view of how the virus will attack the body. I'll come back when it's over." Vivian says, and then leaves.

There is nothing but silence all throughout the room, and then I hear a door shut. Kind of like an underground bunker blast door shut, _Oh crap!_ I think. Next thing I hear is a chorus of grunts, and groans of intense pain, and I know that the scientists, or whatever they prefer to be called, has begun to inject the substance into the test subjects. And before long I could feel the excruciating pain of the substance coursing through my body.

"Argh!"

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Atlanta, Georgia-

"Kensi." A voice said from the doorway of my hospital room.

Kensi looked up to see her mom, Julia Feldman, had made the flight. Kensi didn't even hesitate, she stood up from her chair and then went to hug her mom. "He's dying!" Kensi croaked as she broke down into tears.

Julia didn't even saying anything. She just stood there and stroked her daughter's hair.


	8. Chapter 8

"I can't believe this is happening again." Sam said.

"Our search led us here, so we don't have a choice. And I'm not going in there." Callen said.

"Shut up, G." Sam said. The information that they got from their suspect lead the partners to another suspect who gets massages on a regular basis. "Reminds me of the time we went after Dallas." Callen said.

"Why do you think I said I can't believe this is happening again?" Sam asked.

The partners fell silent as the approached the room where their suspect was currently being serviced, and shook down the bodyguards. Sam entered the room with his gun drawn. When the therapist saw him, Sam shushed her and laid on hand on the suspects back and then nodded for the woman to leave the room. Sam could hear the suspect groaning in pleasure, _Or pain._ Sam thought, and then shove his gun into the spot at the base the suspects' of his skull.

"What's going?" the suspect asked.

"Hey, relax. You're tense." Sam said.

"Do you know who I am?" the suspect asked.

"Are you serious? You think this is a random robbery?" Sam asked, and then slapped the suspects butt. You're butt naked"

I have powerful—"

"Spare me." Sam said. "We have information that led us to you. A friend of mine was abducted and force into some kind of experiment for five months. At the end of the five months, there was an attempted terrorist attack that he foiled. My question to you is what are we missing?"

"The missing link is the terrorist attack with the chemical weapon has been foiled, but rumor is it that some fringe group had a backup plan for another attack in very public place. I don't know where the second attack is supposed to take place. All I know it's supposed to happen tomorrow at ten." the suspect said.

"In the morning, or at night?" Sam asked.

"I wasn't privy to that information." The suspect said.

"Is it another viral attack?" Sam asked.

"No. They only had enough for one device. I do know it will be another bombing." The suspect said.

Sam pulled his gun from of the suspect's skull, and bolted from the room. He motioned for the woman to return to her duties as he holstered his gun, and motioned for G to follow him. "What's the problem Sam?" Callen asked.

"There's about to be another terrorist. All he gave was that it's happening tomorrow at ten." Sam said.

"Morning, or night?" Callen asked.

"He didn't get that information from the people planning that attack. All he heard was there's going to be another attack, in a very public place." Sam said.

When Sam and Callen got into the challenger, Sam spoke to the Bluetooth telling it call Ops. " _Hello._ " Nell said answering the call.

"Nell, our suspect said there's going to be another attack by ten some time tomorrow." Sam said.

" _We're on it._ " Eric said, and ended the call.

"Great this should be interesting." Callen said.

"Tell me about it." Sam said.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Atlanta, Georgia-

Kensi was coming into my room at the wrong time. From what she could make out the staff wasn't trying to restart my heart, but my body temperature was starting to rise to lethal levels. She could hear the staff talking about if they don't drop my body temperature within the next few minutes I'm going to suffer irreparable brain damage. Then everybody in the room could hear me start mumbling something along the lines of an attack, in a public place, at night. Kensi realized that I was trying to communicate sensitive information that.

"Deeks what's happening? What's being attacked?" she asked.

Kensi tries to stay out of the way of the hospital staff as they try to work. "Deeks. Who or what is going to be attacked?" she asked again.

Latent memories were coming back to me. I remember being tied to the bed, but what I remember was people talking about another attack. I don't remember specifics just that it was happening in Los Angeles. I open my eyes suddenly and look all around the room, but when I see Kensi I start lose focus, but my mind remains sharp. "Union Station. Tomorrow. Ten P.M." I say, and then eye closes as I drift off into oblivion.

The staff stopped worrying about my body temperature because as soon as I delivered the message to Kensi it dropped back within normal range. Kensi was unsure of what the message meant. _Union station. Tomorrow. Ten P.M. What does he mean?_ Kensi thought. And then she remembered that I mumbled something about an attack. Kensi left my room to make a phone call to Ops.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Location unknown, Two months after I was recalled-

Vivian keeps me apprised of the situation as it unfolds. The pain from having my immune system stripped was bad, but thanks to Vivian's intervention it wasn't as it was for the rest of the test subjects. Even now, after being in the hands of these maniacs for at least a month, I can still hear the other subjects groaning in intense pain. On occasion a groan of a pain escapes my lips, but that is on rare occasions. A few times a couple of scientists had come to check me, and from what I can tell they are trying to understand why the virus isn't moving as fast through my body, or attacking it like the other subjects.

One day I hear some people pass by and I hear some of their conversation. Something about an attack at Union Station four months from today at ten P.M. I don't know what to make of it, so I log it away for another time. Periodically I hear heart-monitors begin chirping, and then I realize what that meant. I've heard it at least five other times. _Another person has just died._ I think. _Six down, five to go._

Vivian doesn't come to my bedside for a few weeks, probably not to draw suspicion to me still be awake.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Los Angeles-

The wonder twins had confirm the tracks that Kensi had found at the scene of the crime, it was ford conversation van. They had found one near the scene of the crime, but even if they found the van it has been several hours since my disappearance. Sam found Kensi in the bull pen, and she was on the brink of tears.

"You okay?" Sam asked.

"It's just like Dom." Kensi said as she shed a few tears.

"I know." he said giving Kensi a hug. Kensi wrapped her arms around Sam's torso. "But we can't give up hope. Until we find Deeks' body, we have to remain optimistic."

"I know." she says. "It's just…"

"Deeks is your partner, and friend. This job is hard, you put your life in the hands of your partner and you hopes he's got your back so you two can make it back at the end of the day. It doesn't help that we let that person into our lives and befriend them. Then again, I don't think I can live like Hetty." Sam said.

"What's that Mr. Hanna?" Hetty said entering the bull pen from behind her agents.

"I was stating that I couldn't live a life that you did. Was it the wrong choice? It is for me, but it was the choice that served you best." Sam said trying to cover his butt.

Hetty stared at Sam, shrugged her shoulders and then exited the bull pen.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Unknown location, three months after my recall-

I crack an eye to see what's going, and a scientist just happens to see me open my eye. I slowly close my eye. They check my eye, and for a response. I fake being unconscious. The scientist talks to me, but after a few seconds they walk away to attend to the other subjects. A few days later Vivian comes back to talk to me.

"How are you holding up?" she asks.

"Other than having my body being ravage by a super virus while listening to innocent people die, I'm great how about yourself?" I ask.

"Not good. The higher ups are getting suspicious, so I'm going to have to keep away for a while. Not only that the scientist are starting to figure way around your defenses." She says.

"How much time do we have?" I ask.

"Two months, tops. I have a friend working on substance to help slow the spread of the virus." she said.

"Try to get me the location of where they plan on deploying the device." I say.

"You got it." Vivian said and then left.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Present day, Ops-

Eric and Nell were slaving away trying to find possible sites for a terrorist attack when they received a phone call.

"Hello." Nell answered.

" _Nell, I have important information._ " Kensi said.

"Whoa, take it easy Kensi. What do you have?" Sam asked.

" _Deeks just regain consciousness momentarily a few seconds ago, but he's out now. Before he lost consciousness he said that there was going to be an attack tomorrow._ " Kensi said.

"We already know about the second attack, Miss Blye." Hetty said entering the ops. "Now we're trying to figure out when, and where."

" _Deeks said that it was going to be at Union Station at ten P.M._ " Kensi said.

"Thanks, Kens. You saved our butts." Callen said.

" _You can thank Deeks when he gets back. He's the one who told me about the second attack._ " Kensi said and then hung up the phone.

 _A/N: A Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family._


	9. Chapter 9

Los Angeles, eight P.M. the night of the bombing-

Eric and Nell were working like crazy trying to figure out where in Union Station the bombing was going to take place. They had been checking the video feds for over an hour, and found nothing. It wasn't until Nell came across a blank feed on the south end of the station did they find something.

"Huh." Nell said.

"What?" Eric asked looking over at Nell's screen.

"I was scanning through the camera feed in the south side of the station, but when I hit the ticket booth the feed went blank." She said.

Eric looked at the screen for a minute. He just stared at the screen as if hypnotized by it. "Eric." Nell said.

"Sam! Callen! Drop what you doing and head over to the ticket booths on the south side of the station. The cameras have been disabled in that part of the station." Eric said.

" _On it._ " Sam said. On the big screen Hetty watched as her agents made their way to the south side of the station, but when they got the ticket booths, they disappeared from screen. Eric went back through the camera footage to see if there was anything that find to help the agents. "Mr. Beale, how did you know to have my agents to stop searching where they are, and head to the ticket booths on the south side of the station?" Hetty asked.

"About a month ago, when the team stopped the viral bombing, the section that had the bomb had the jammer in it." Eric said.

Hetty thought on Eric's words momentarily. "Mr. Hanna. Mr. Callen. There's a possibility that we could lose radio contact." Hetty said.

" _What… as… that… tty?_ " Sam asked.

"Good call, Mr. Beale." Hetty said.

"Here we go again." Nell said.

"Mr. Beale, call the bomb squad." Hetty said.

"Yes, ma'am." Eric said and picked up the phone to call it in.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Union Station-

"It look like they have another jammer in the area again." Callen said.

"That it does." Sam said.

Sam and Call were out with support team. The team came to a T-junction. Sam motioned for the support team to go left, as he and Callen went right.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Atlanta, Georgia-

Kensi and Julia were relaxing in the hospital chairs, reading magazines, or carrying on conversation. Julia decided to ask how close her daughter was to me.

"Kens. How close are you two?" Julia asked about our relationship.

Kensi didn't know how to answer that question. We were close, closer than friends, albeit, we haven't, technically, defined where we wanted to go in the future. "We've spent a lot of nights watching movies into the earlier hours of the morning and falling asleep on either of our couches." Kensi says.

"Hmm." Julia said.

"What?" Kensi asked.

"I'm just surprised that the two of you haven't invited me out for dinner." Julia said.

"Mom! If you must know we haven't define our relationship, or where we want to take it. When Deeks is ready, we'll invite you over, or take you out." Kensi says. Kensi looked up to see nurse a giving me a sponge bath, and gives a weak smile. "He'll make it through." Julia said as she reached out and for her daughter's and gave it a gentle squeeze. Kensi squeezed Julia's hand, and then returned to her magazine.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Los Angeles, Union Station-

Sam and Callen had found the device, but they also found trouble. The partners were pinned down next to the device and could see that the countdown was in process. The fire fight had gone on for a few minutes before Callen heard something in his ear. " _Can… yo… ar… me Mr. …llen?_ "

"G!" Sam said.

Callen looked at Sam who was pointing at his ear. They both listened again, and this time were successful. " _Can you hear me Mr. Callen?_ " Hetty asked.

"Loud and clear Hetty. If you can contact the other team and tell them to," Callen began but didn't finish. The other team had already disabled the jammer, and made their way to Callen and Sam, giving their attackers something else to shoot at. "Never mind." Callen said.

Sam peeked his head around the corner and saw that their attackers were busy with the backup team. Callen and Sam returned fire, killing the terrorist. Sam look back at the timer on the bomb. "Hetty we have exactly an hour and ten minutes before detonation." Sam said.

" _Bomb squad should be there in five minutes._ " Eric said.

"The professionals are on their way." Callen said to Sam.

"Drinks are on me when we get out of here." Sam said, and then the team vacated the area.

"You're not even the least bit curious on how that device works?" Callen asked.

"I'm curious, but no need to ruin the fun for the professionals, as you so perfectly put it." Sam countered.

And the two partners start bickering as the headed back out to the lobby.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Atlanta, Georgia-

Kensi and I have been at the C.D.C. headquarter for a month when the doctors figured out an experimental treatment to cure the virus in my body. The nurse had approached Kensi and Julia as a team of doctors and nurses entered my room to begin treatment. "Miss Blye." A male nurse said addressing Kensi. Kensi and Julia stood as the nurse stopped in front of them. "I'm coming to inform you that the staff here has worked out an experimental treatment to eradicate what's left of the virus in Mr. Deeks system." He said.

"How long until we know it will be effective?" Kensi asks.

"Eradication should take up to a week if the treatment works. Then we will weening him off the meds and allow Mr. Deeks to wake up naturally." A doctor said joining the group.

"Okay, and thank you for everything that you're doing." Kensi said.

"It's our duty." The nurse said.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Two months ago, Unknown location-

A month has gone by since I last heard from Vivian, and I know that my time is starting to run out because I can feel the effects of the virus more fervently. The pain is becoming more intense, and I lose consciousness a few times. I hear two more heart monitors stop one day, and then another. But A few days after the last heart monitor stop Vivian had returned. It started with another puncture in my arm, and then the pain subsides.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"Get up." Vivian says. It takes me a few seconds to get my bearings, but whatever was in that shot cleared my head and helped me regain use of my body. "Here take this."

"What is that?" I ask looking at the syringe that she just handed me.

"It's an agent to slow the spread of the virus. Take this also. The group has all the information that they need to create a mechanism that will release the virus into a buildings ventilation system. This is the code that will keep the device from releasing the virus." she said handing me a flash drive. I pocket both the flash drive and the syringe.

We turn to see a group of guards enter the room. We then turn and run for the exit on the far side of the room. I'm glad Vivian is leading because I have no idea where I'm going, and before I know it I hear the familiar sound of people not wanting me to leave, or escape. Gunfire. I inadvertently reach for my gun, which I conveniently forgot is not there. _Wonderful._ I think. We turn down a few more hallways, which dumps us out onto a loading dock. Before we could move off of the dock, we bump into two men standing guard on the dock. I neutralized one guard as Vivian was taking out the other. I noticed that the guard I took down had a grenade.

"Who carries grenades?" I ask. From behind me I hear gunfire, which is followed by a grunt from Vivian. I turn to see that she has been shot. I grab the grenade, pull the pin, and throw it back into the hallway we exited from. As I'm picking Vivian up, I hear the guards that were chasing us scream in terror just as the realized that I tossed a grenade at them. The explosion rocks the area, just as I clear the loading bay I have to stop. "You have to leave me." Vivian said.

"I can't do that." I say.

"I'm already dying. You have to make it back to Los Angele and stop the attack." she says.

"Two things: Where am I? And where is the attack taking place?" I ask.

"You're in Northern California, two miles north of Sacramento, and the attack will take place at the Convention Center, in two days." she said, pointing south

"Got a cell phone?" I ask.

"Why?" she asks.

"How else am I going to get back to Los Angeles quickly?" I ask.

"That's a bit of a stretch." Vivian says handing me her phone.

"When I get to Sacramento, the phone will be very helpful." I say but I don't get a response. I look in Vivian's eyes and see that she has already passed from this world. I close her eyes and start running. The sun will be setting soon and I need to cover as much distance as possible. _Too bad I don't have a coat to wear._ I think.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Los Angeles, five hours later-

Sam was out for a morning jog when he got the call to report in. Sam had only started his jog, so he turned back around and went home. He got a shower, a muffin and some juice, and then jumped in his challenger and went to work. It was seven by the time he arrive at Ops. "What's up Hetty?" Sam asked.

"About an hour ago our, I received a called from our sibling in Sacramento. About three hours ago they received an A.I.D. signal and turned up an old friend." she said.

"Deeks?" he asked.

"Or so they claim." she said.

"Come on, Hetty. Deeks was abducted in broad daylight. Why would he lie?" he asked.

"This is coming from top." she said.

"And if he's telling the truth?" Sam countered.

"Then he'll be cut loose." Hetty said.

Sam exited Hetty's office. Before leaving for Sacramento, Sam ate his breakfast.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Sacramento field office-

I'm sitting in the Sacramento field office in hand cuffs. I'm extremely pissed that they would do this to me. Nothing worse than having you boss' _boss_ looking at you sideways. _Especially after the five months I've had._ I think. It's going on ten hours before I interact with somebody. The person that I see is Sam, but something about his demeanor tells me this is business call. Sam was handed a clipboard, most likely to fill out paperwork for a prisoner exchange.

"Let's go Deeks." Sam said.

The clerk was handing my personal effects to Sam. "I'm going to need that syringe back." I say.

"That's going to be Hetty's call." Sam said.

"Yeah, do that and I will be dead before the day's out." I said.

Sam shoots me a look, but doesn't say anything. We exit the building, get in the challenger, and head back to Los Angeles.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Los Angeles, boat shed-

Night had fallen by the time we got to the boat shed. Sam had been at the boat shed for thirty minutes before Hetty, Callen, and Kensi had shown up. "So how's our wayward friend doing?" Hetty asked Sam.

"Not good." Sam said.

"Why?" Kensi asked.

"Look for yourself." Sam said.

On the screen the team could see that my lips were cracked, my forehead was sweaty, and I was hunched over as if I was in pain. "How long has he been like that?" Callen asked.

"For the last hour and a half." Sam said.

" _Sam. I need that syringe._ " I said.

"I'll take the syringe." Hetty said.

Sam dug the syringe out of my personal effects and handed it to Hetty.

"Hetty don't delay in giving Deeks the syringe." Kensi said.

"I will give it to him." Hetty said.

"This isn't the time for games Hetty." Kensi said.

"Hetty is trying to figure what is going on, Kensi." Callen said.

"Look at Deeks. If you delay in giving him that syringe you run the risk in killing him. If he dies, then we never find out why he was abducted." Kensi said. "And if he dies, I will hold all three of you accountable."

"Noted." Hetty said.

"Room one." Sam said.

"Thank you." Hetty said and entered the room.

I watched the door open and Hetty entered. I didn't do anything until Hetty had shut the door and took a seat at the table. I watched as she pulled the syringe out and set it on the table. "Please?" I pleaded.

"What's in it?" Hetty asked.

"Take a look at me Hetty! What do you think is in it? And why am I still in handcuffs?" I ask.

"Protocol." she said.

"Protocol my butt! I've been in handcuffs for over twelve hours. What do you think I'm going to do? You didn't answer my question, why am I still in handcuffs?" I ask as I let out a groan.

"You've been gone for four months." she said.

"When I disappeared, my abduction was on camera for Eric and Nell to see. So I want the handcuffs taken off." I say with another groan.

"You can cut the groaning act." she said.

"Take a look at my face Hetty. This isn't make up, and I wasn't like this two hours ago." I said.

"Why should I believe you?" she said.

"Keep playing this game, Hetty. Not only will you be held accountable for my death, but you will also be held accountable for a terrorist attack that kills about half the western seaboard." I said.

Hetty straightens up, and then rolls the syringe across table to me. _Now that I have you attention._ I think as I inject, whatever is in the syringe, myself.

"We don't have time for this Hetty. Cut me loose and let's get down to business." I say.

"What kind of attack?" she asks.

"They abducted me and ten other people to experiment on us with a virus." I said.

"How did they get the virus to stay alive this long?" she asked.

"They stripped our immune system first. That syringe is stopping the spread of the virus, and possible any other contagion." I say.

Hetty, the team and I leave the boat shed and head back to Ops. "When is the attack anyways?" Sam asked.

"Tomorrow some time, at the convention center." I say.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Present day, Atlanta, Georgia-

Kensi watched as the doctors and nurses were about to begin the experimental treatment that they came up with when she remembered something I said. "Wait!" Kensi shouts.

"What?" The head doctor asks.

"Deeks said something about his immune system being stripped." Kensi says.

The doctor takes this into consideration. "Thank you. We will start pushing meds to get his immune system back in place." the doctor said.

 _A/N: This is the last chapter with a flashback. The next, and final chapter will just be about Deeks recovery. A big thank you to all my readers for holding on as I wrote this story._


	10. Chapter 10

Los Angeles, Ops-

Hetty was sitting at her desk when the phone rang.

"Yes, Miss Blye." Hetty said answering the phone.

" _Today the staff starts pushing meds to repair Deeks immune system._ " Kensi said.

"And what is the prognosis after his immune system has been repaired?" Hetty asked.

" _They didn't say how long it will take after they repair Deeks' immune system, but they also had an experimental treatment ready to go. The doctors said that the treatment would take about two weeks if it was successful._ " Kensi said.

"Keep me apprised of the situation." Hetty said.

" _Will do, Hetty._ " Kensi said and ended the call.

"Who was that?" Sam asks as he and Callen entered Hetty's office.

"That was Miss Blye calling to give an update on the situation with Mr. Deeks." Hetty said.

"And?" Callen asked.

"She said that, starting today, the med staff is going to start pushing medicine to repair Mr. Deeks immune system. They didn't say how long it will take for him to recover, but if they have to use an experimental treatment it should take two weeks to eradicate the virus if the treatment is successful. But personally, I hoping his immune system kicks in." Hetty said.

"I second that." Callen said.

Sam and Callen heard Eric whistle from the top of the step. Sam and Callen climbed the stairs pretty quickly. "What's up Eric?" Callen asked.

"It's a weird one." Eric said.

"How weird?" Sam asked as the three of them were entering ops.

"A couple of dead marines found in a medical clinic, but cause of death is unknown." Nell said.

"Sounds like that case we had about five years ago." Callen said.

"Maybe." Sam said. "What's the address to the clinic?"

"Address is on your phones." Eric said tapping a few buttons on his tablet.

Sam and Callen exit ops, and then head down to the garage to begin the case. After Sam and Callen entered the hall to the garage, Granger was coming into the main hall. "Owen, what a pleasure it is to see you this morning." Hetty said.

"Director Vance wants an update on Detective Deeks." Granger said as he took a seat across from her desk.

"Miss Blye just called a few minutes ago. The staff said that it would take two weeks, tops, if they have to use the experimental treatment. Today the med staff was supposed to start working on repairing Mr. Deeks immune system." Hetty said.

"Keep me in the loop." Granger said and got up to leave. Hetty rolls her eyes at Granger, and then gets up to make a pot of water for tea.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Med clinic-

Sam and Callen were at the med clinic for all of two minutes when they noticed a few problems. "Robbery gone wrong?" Callen asked.

"Maybe." Sam said as he was approaching a locker, but what caught his attention was that it wasn't properly aligned. Callen had been watching Sam because his answer wasn't to convincing, but didn't miss the hand signal or Sam drawing his gun. Callen drew his gun and made his way quickly, and silently over to the locker. Sam count three and then pulled the door open.

Sam and Callen almost jumped out of their skin when they heard the shriek from the young boy who was trapped in the locker. Sam and Callen hurriedly put their guns away to calm the boy down. Sam worked on gaining the boys trust, as Callen moved away to call Ops.

" _Hello._ " Nell said answering the call.

"Nell is Hetty anywhere nearby?" Callen asked.

" _What's the problem, Mr. Callen?_ " Hetty asked.

"Hetty I'm not sure how the marines are connected, but we found young boy on sight who might need a few session of therapy." Callen says.

" _What are the boy's injures?_ " Hetty asked.

"Mostly minors bruises, and abrasions. If there is any physiological trauma beyond what Sam and I caused, it has yet to be seen." Callen said.

" _Bring the child to the boat shed. I will get in touch with somebody from—_ " Hetty said but was cut off when the firefight started.

"I'm going to have to call you back Hetty." Callen said. Callen hung up the phone, pocketed it, and then drew his gun and returned fire. "Sam! Hetty wants us to bring the boy to the boat shed!"

"Roger that." Sam said.

The partners returned fire, and with the boy in tow they looked for an exit out the back.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Atlanta, Georgia-

Kensi was on edge after the staff had started pushing meds. My heart had stopped beating, and it took them three minutes to get my heart restarted. As they had finished pumping the meds into my system I went into respiratory failure, and the team had to put me on a ventilator until my body could breathe for itself. The staff left me hooked up to the ventilator for twenty-four hours. After I was taken off the ventilator, Kensi went to get some coffee.

"Kensi." Julia called out.

"I'm going to get some coffee. I'll be back in a moment." Kensi says.

Julia didn't miss the shiver that went down her daughter's spine, and then looked over at me. She finally understood the depth of our relationship. Were we dating? No, but she realized that Kensi would be crushed if I died. To the point where she might give up living if I died. Julia felt a shiver go down her spine too, but returned to the magazine that was in her hands.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Los Angeles, boat shed-

Twenty-four hours have passed since the shootout at the med clinic. Sam, Callen and the boy were waiting at the boat shed for the representative from Child Services to arrive. Sam and the child were getting along like peas in a pod, while Callen was staring out a window waiting for an update from Hetty. Callen is on edge about their chances of getting away clean.

"You really think those guys are going to bust through that door at any time?" Sam asked.

"This place has already been found at least once, if not twice. What's stopping these people from finding us?" Callen asked.

"A fair point." Sam said.

At that point, the back door opened. Callen and Sam saw Hetty walk in followed by a woman in a black pant suit. "Where is the child?" the woman asked.

"Over here." Sam said.

When Hetty and the woman entered the main room of the boat shed, they women turned to see Sam interacting with the child. Sam excused himself, got up off the floor, and approached the pair as Callen was stopping in front of the women. "What was the welfare of the boy when you picked him up?" the woman from C.S.B. asked.

"We cleaned him up a little because he had a few abrasions and bruises, otherwise, unharmed." Callen said.

"At first glance, the boy look unharmed, but that could change when you give him a proper checkup." Sam interjected.

"I'll take the boy, and get that all started. I'll check to see who his relatives are in the process." the woman said.

"The child's name is Dominic." Sam said.

"Thank you." the woman said, and then went to collect the child and leave the boast shed.

"Any word on the use of that med clinic?" Hetty asked.

"At a first glance it looked like a botched robbery, but we didn't get that far because of the child. Do we have an id on the child?" Sam asked.

"At the moment, no. The child might not have been a victim." Hetty said.

"You want to tag along and see what we can find?" Sam asked.

"Any information that we could have found, might have been destroyed after we left." Callen said.

"Well get to it." Hetty said.

"Yes, Hetty." both Callen and Sam said.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Atlanta, Georgia-

Kensi was waking up to the smell of coffee. Upon opening her eyes Kensi smiled.

"Thanks for the coffee." Kensi said giving Nate a hug, and then accepted the coffee. "Where's my mom?"

"She took a walk, so I could have a moment with you." he said.

Kensi stopped and thought on Nate's words. "With me? Deeks is the one that has been on assignment for five months. Let alone having a virus ravage his body for four of those months."

"Deeks is your partner, is he not?" he asked. Kensi rolled her eyes at Nate. "This affected you just as much as if you had been the one to go through the whole ordeal."

Kensi begins to tear up. Nate grabbed the coffee, set it on the table, and then Kensi pulled into a hug. They sat there for a moment. "I don't know what I would do with myself if Deeks dies." she whispered.

"I know. I know. That's why Hetty sent me." he said.

At this time both Kensi and Nate heard me groaning loudly, and they came over to check on me. A nurse was walking by, so she stopped in to check in on me. "What's the matter?" Kensi asked.

"Mr. Deeks immune system has been restored, but fighting off the virus is still a painful process. This is only natural, if not frightening." the nurse said. Kensi was still shaken by the whole ordeal. "Cheer up. I've seen people in worse fights than your friend who pulled through, and made a full recovery."

The nurse smiled at Kensi, gave her shoulder a gently pat, and then walked away. Kensi was still a loss for words. "Do you really think Deeks is going to let a virus kill him?" Nate asked.

"No." Kensi said.

"Come, sit for a while." Nate said as they took a seat. Kensi leaned her head on his shoulder, and Nate wrapped an arm around her shoulder and they lapsed into a comfortable silence, the coffee forgotten.

N.C.I.S. L. A.

Los Angeles-

The med clinic was a bust. The marines weren't developing illegal materials, or selling guns. Whatever information they could have gleamed from the operation here was destroyed when they left earlier. They found a couple of wiped hard drives, which they would take back for Eric and Nell to scour, but nothing else of interest.

The partners get into to the challenger and head back to Ops. "Now what were they doing there?" Callen asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Then again, I'm not exactly sure if they were even legitimate marines." Sam said.

"You think like last time, these were people posing as marines, but they're not out to sell some disease that could kill millions in a matter of hours. Instead they get roped into doing… what?" Callen asked.

"Let's get an id on the two stiffs in morgue so we make an accurate assessment of the situation." Sam said.

"Let's go get an update." Callen said.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Atlanta, Georgia-

Three days after the med staff had repaired my immune system the virus had be eradicated from my body. It was a painful three days, too. At the time the doctors were entirely sure that the virus had been removed from my system, did they finally ween me off the meds that kept me in the coma for the month, or so. A few days later I started to come around.

"Uh. Ow." I say.

"Deeks." Kensi says but for some reason her voice seemed distant.

I open my eyes, and I have to shut them again because the light is too bright. When I open them a second time I can see shapes, but they have no definition. _I haven't used my eyes in a while, so they're going to have to readjust._ I think. And as they started to readjust the first thing I see is the most beautiful person I have seen ever.

"Deeks. Hi." Kensi said with a huge smile.

"Hey." I said.

And the first thing I felt, beside the hospital bed I'm resting in, is Kensi reaching out with her hand and caressing my cheek. "I've missed you." I said. More appropriately, it was a croak, but it didn't matter. Kensi laughed. That's all that mattered because knowing Kensi she has been upset and worried about me. Kensi gets a cup, fills it with ice chips, and feeds a few to me. A few minutes later a nurse came to check on me.

"How are you feeling Mr. Deeks?" he asked.

"Like crap, but I'll survive." I said.

The nurse nodded at my statement, while continuing my assessment. "Well you will be happy to know that you partner missed you dearly." he said.

Kensi was attempting to come up with a denial, but I cut her off. "I've missed her, too." I said shaking my head at Kensi.

At this time a doctor came walking into my room, and the nurse walked out. "Ah. Glad to see you up and talking." she said.

"Glad to be conscious." I said. "How long until we can go home?"

"It'll take a few weeks. You've been in that bed close two month. First we have to get you muscles used to bearing weight again." she said.

"Well, I'm ready whenever you guys are." I say.

"Deeks! You just woke up." Kensi said.

"I'm not talking about moving." I say.

"Oh." Kensi.

"We start with some basic fine motor skills tonight. And if you need anything my name is Dr. Wilson." she said, and then left the room.

"You don't have to pretend to have missed me. I know you did." I said turning my head to face Kensi.

"Nate was here a couple of days ago." Kensi said.

"I'm guessing he was here to talk to you, but he didn't tell you to say hi for him. Jerk." I say flippantly.

Kensi snickered. "Yeah he did forget, but it was nice to see him again." Kensi said.

"Ah. It seems that you've finally woken up." a familiar voice says.

"Miss Feldman, I didn't know you were here." I say as Julia entered the room.

"Kensi called me after you guys arrived." Julia said.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to go update Hetty." Kensi said.

"Hurry back." I say.

I let Kensi see my smile, and she playfully glared back at me.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Los Angeles-

It was two o'clock in the morning when Hetty answered her phone. "What's the good word Miss Blye?" Hetty asked.

" _Deeks is conscious and ready to return home._ " Kensi said.

"I bet he's chomping at the bit to return." Hetty said.

" _Hetty, I think Deeks just wants to be home. Will he leave the group? No, but it has been a long time since he's been able to relax and take it easy._ " Kensi said.

"I'll make sure Mr. Getz is on standing by when Mr. Deeks is ready." Hetty said.

Kensi laughed. " _Deeks called Nate a jerk for not saying hi._ "

"Yeah, that definitely would qualify as a jerk move. I'll inform the rest of the team in the morning." Hetty said and then hung up the phone.

Come morning Sam and Callen were being update by Nell and Eric when Hetty walked into ops. "Miss Blye contacted me earlier this morning."

"What's the word?" Nell asked.

"Deeks woke up this morning and is ready to return home." Hetty said. "What's the word on the case?"

"Nothing. It's gone cold. Whatever that group was doing there we won't ever know. We had a team sweep it for biological agents, and didn't get a hit." Sam said.

"It probably won't get hot for some time." Callen said.

"Fill out the paperwork, but be ready in case it does." Hetty said and then left ops.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Two weeks later, Los Angeles-

The night both Kensi and I returned to L.A. we went to our favorite bar to meet up with the team. "As much I was want to be out here with everybody, I'm not staying long." I warned.

"Were shocked that you came out as soon as you got back." Sam said.

"Your home, and that's all that matters." Hetty said walking up to the table.

I stood to give Hetty a hug. The magnificent seven was out tonight, but Kensi and I left an hour later.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Three months later-

It's been an easy three months. Last night Kensi and I had dinner with her mom, and that was eventful. I let Monty out to go to the bathroom, and then lock up to head into work. By the time I get to work its nine thirty, and the shift is starting for the day. The group is up in Ops when I blow through. I see a little welcome back gift waiting for me. I open it and see a model train engine. I place it next to my name tag, and then head up to ops.

"Sheesh. It's my first day back and you didn't even have the decency to wait for me." I say, but I eat my words because Director Vance was on the big screen.

" _And let me be the first to welcome you back._ " Vance said.

"Thank you, sir." I say and then take my place next to Kensi. Kensi punches my arm for the cheeky entrance.

"OW!" I whisper.

Director Vance finished updating the team on the state of affairs within the company, and in turn Sam and Callen updated the director on their cold case. " _I'll see if there's anything I can did up on my end._ " the director said and then the feed went blank.

Nell placed her tablet on the center console and gave me a hug, whereas, Eric and I shook hands. "We have another case for the four of you. It's a standard case, dead marine. The crime scene is at Camp Pendleton." Eric said.

"Standard. Isn't that what you said about our last case?" Callen asked.

"After my last assignment I could use a little bit of standard." I say.

We exit ops, and head down to the garage. Before we get into the suv, Kensi gives me a kiss. I smile after we beak the kiss, and then we get in. Kensi starts up the vehicle, and then pulls out of the garage heading towards Camp Pendleton.

 _A/N: Thank you to my readers for hanging in there waiting for me to finish my story. I have another story, but I haven't started writing it yet. The story is not a continuation of The Enemy Within. It's a standalone story._


End file.
